This Midnight
by Red Stockings
Summary: Abarat: What if Candy hadn't escaped all those times, but instead had been brought to Midnight, and to the mercy of Lord Carrion? CandyXCarrion
1. Prologue

**This Midnight**

_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own the Abarat, sadly, so please don't sue me!_

_**Summary: **__What if Candy hadn't escaped all those times and was brought to Lord Carrion? _

_**Pairing: **__Candy/Carrion_

**Prologue**

The Criss-Cross Man stood in the shadow of the Prince of Midnight. The lamp from the desk lighting only one side of his lord's face and throwing the rest into deep dark shade. His expression was one of intense concentration, and his eyes were half closed as he thought.

What sort of things the Lord of Midnight thought about, no one could imagine. Not even Otto Houlihan the Criss-Cross Man, who had also seen many horrid atrocities in his life. The Lord of Midnight inspired fear in all living creatures. Even Houlihan, who inspired dread in all he met, felt a cold chill when in the presence of his master. The sense of never knowing which way his Lord's mood would tend, the favourable wind never resting on one soul long enough to be confident.

There were many terrible punishments to be suffered in the hour of Midnight, things no sane person dared to imagine. He had no doubt however that Carrion imagined them, invented them, dreamed them. Houlihan could also guess that the girl Candy Quackenbush featured regularly in the Lord's dreams. He almost felt sorry for the girl, almost…

Otto Houlihan waited in silence, careful not to let Carrion see his impatience. He was not a man built for standing and waiting. He was not a man who was content to stay still, he was a man who liked to be constantly on the move, and standing in silence was testing him to his limits.

"Criss-Cross Man…" Carrion said quietly to himself, as if singing some sort of evil lullaby.

"My Lord?" Houlihan replied, bowing slightly. In his own little world he was the most important person, he surrounded himself with people that could nothing but say yes. But here, Houlihan was subservient. He was one of the yes men, and he hated it. But to Carrion, he was nothing.

Carrion did not look at him, but remained buried in his thoughts. Houlihan knew that it was a great honour to be looked in the eye by Christopher Carrion, to be regarded for a moment as worthy. As an equal in mind. It did not happen often.

"I need Candy Quackenbush, she must be brought to me alive," he paused as he considered his words. "That is most important," he stipulated clearly. "You will fetch her for me. She has eluded Shape too many times and I grow weary of waiting."

Otto Houlihan bowed down a little further.

"I will apprehend this girl for you My Lord," Houlihan said confidently.

Carrion looked at him suddenly as if he had only just realised he was speaking to someone. He had had so many conversations with the girl in his mind, that he didn't even recognise real company anymore. He was trapped inside one of his own nightmares.

"Yes," Carrion hissed softly. "Bring her to me. Bring me Candy Quackenbush, she must not be allowed to destroy me!"

Houlihan bowed again and excused himself from the room. He knew his master was slowly going insane. The obsession with the girl from the Hereafter was beyond reasoning. But Houlihan had not been summoned to give reasons for Carrion's whims, but because he was the best at finding people that didn't want to be found.

He hoped Carrion would kill the girl and get over this infatuation. He'd do it himself, had it not been for the clear proviso that she had to be brought to Midnight alive. The girl was nothing in Houlihan's eyes, yet something about her had attracted the attention of most powerful man in the Abarat. Not many people could say that, and most people where pretty happy about that too.

But no matter the whys or the reasoning, Candy Quackenbush's days were numbered. She would no longer elude Midnight. The Criss-Cross Man had never yet failed.


	2. Capturing Candy

_**This Midnight**_

**Chapter One: ****Capturing Candy**

The Criss-Cross Man's hands tightened around the top of Candy's arm as he pulled her across the room towards the door. Malingo looked on horrified as his best friend was taken away from him. He struggled towards her, but the two evil looking Stitchlings were holding him too securely. They didn't understand friendship, so they didn't understand why he was shouting. They weren't going to hurt _him,_ so why was he struggling.

Candy fought back her tears. She had tried so hard to avoid Lord Carrion's minions, yet she hadn't been fast enough this time. She couldn't believe that it could all be over now, not after she had come so far. She looked at her friend's face, the friend that had welcomed her with open arms, despite her desperate situation. Was he regretting that decision now? She wished that he would turn his back on her, just so that the Stitchlings would leave him alone. But she knew that it was an empty wish, as she was scared of being alone. Selfishly she wanted him with her, too afraid of what her fate would be.

"Come on Miss, don't make me hurt you now," Houlihan warned with a false care. The smile on his face told Candy that he'd enjoy breaking her arm, if she gave him the chance. "Lord carrion wants to meet you, so you had better stop wriggling and start complying. You're not going to escape this time girl."

His words only enraged her more, and she struggled harder. Continuing to fight, until Houlihan twisted her arm round her back and sent her to the floor screaming.

"Stop that! Leave her alone!" Malingo shouted as Candy screamed, but he could do nothing more than shout. The Stitchlings held him fast, stronger than regular men, never yielding, never growing tired.

Houlihan looked around and grinned at him in triumph.

"Quiet freak! Or I'll chop her arm off!" he jeered with an evil glint in his eye. This was the part of the job that he loved. Holding people in his power, hearing them beg. It was only later, when he delivered them to Prince Carrion, that they wished they'd begged him for death, rather than freedom.

Malingo quietened immediately. He didn't know that Houlihan was bluffing, as far as he knew they were both going to their deaths. Or at least Candy was, they didn't seem to care about him, he just happened to be in the way. But he would rather go with Candy than be left behind. She was his only friend. She hadn't abandoned him when he'd needed help, so he would rather die than leave her.

"Now girl, have you had enough? Or are you going to carry on fighting me?" Houlihan asked of Candy.

Candy stopped moving and licked one of her tears off of her top lip. The Criss-Cross Man was right; she couldn't escape this time. But she wasn't going to make it too easy for him. She looked Houlihan straight in the eye, and said:

"I'd rather die than meet that man!"

Houlihan's teeth gritted as if he was holding himself back.

"Would you rather your friend die instead then? I can't kill you Miss, but I can kill him," he said pointing at Malingo.

Candy froze in terror. She didn't want Malingo to be hurt because of her; she'd do anything to keep him from death; even meeting Lord Carrion and quite probably dieing herself. Houlihan laughed.

"I didn't think so. Take the Geshrat to the ship," he ordered then turned his attention back to Candy. "If you behave like a lady, and greet the Lord of Midnight civilly, not like a screaming animal, your friend will live, I give my word. It will also be in you best interest to speak with respect."

Houlihan felt better after imparting that information, he'd done his bit. If she made Lord Carrion angry now it would be her own fault. But Candy didn't care for his advice.

"Respect?" she spat. "How can I respect a man that has had me captured?"

"You haven't been captured," Houlihan assured her. "But your persistent avoidance of his invitation has resorted to this. No one, not even girls from the hereafter are allowed to disrespect Lord Carrion."

"Says who?" Candy asked angrily.

"Says me! Now get moving or I'll change my mind about your friend."

* * *

Christopher Carrion was pacing the deadly herb garden, his boots crunching over dead leaves and bugs that couldn't move fast enough. All he could think of was Candy Quackenbush. He wanted to tell her everything. Everything he had ever done, everything he had ever seen, everything he had ever thought, and hear her forgive him for it.

Ever since he had seen her face, he had seen it behind his closed eyelids every time he shut his eyes to the world.

_Candy._

Something about her reminded him of something he had forgotten.

Something about her was powerful.

And something about her belonged to him.

Suddenly he was aware that he was no longer alone in his garden, and turned around accusingly. If someone had chosen to spy on his solitude, they would find their choice badly made.

"My Lord," the manservant ventured, making a quick bow and keeping his distance.

It was no good being shy or frightened in front of Lord Carrion; it only served to make him cruel. It was best just to say what you had to, as fast as you could, before he had a chance to kill you.

"Candy Quackenbush has been apprehended and brought to Midnight. She is now in one of the holding cells awaiting your majesty."

"A holding cell?"

Carrion's voice was dangerous. He hadn't liked what he had heard and the manservant knew why; you didn't go putting ladies in cells, it just wasn't done.

"Apparently there was some disturbance onboard the Wormwood, she was restrained and placed in the cell."

Carrion's hands clenched.

"Out of my way," he ordered striding past. "A disturbance is a very diplomatic way of saying she has been knocked about. I did not order that!" he told Houlihan as he spotted him hovering at the entrance.

Houlihan, hoping for praise was sorely disappointed.

"Bring her to me!" Carrion ordered walking away.

* * *

"Get off me!" Candy screamed as she was hauled onto the Wormwood. "No, I don't want to go!" she screamed digging her heels into the decking.

To Candy, the reality of where she was being taken had finally dawned upon her. To Candy, she was sure she was travelling towards her death. The picture on the map, of the dark island of Midnight, surrounded by red mist loomed in her mind. Klepp's Almanac held nothing to prepare her, but myths and warnings.

"Shut up girl, Carrion's orders are not to be argued with!" Houlihan told her, dragging her down into the hold of the ship. He would have let her roam free had she accepted her fate, but she would not stop fighting.

"I don't want to die!" Candy screamed, delirious and frightened. Her hands grasped at anything they could reach, but Houlihan ripped them away.

"Silence!" he demanded.

Candy began to cry loudly. Fear had reduced her to a shuddering wreck and she was behaving like a wild animal. Cornered and convinced that she'd never see the light of day again.

Houlihan had had enough. He raised his hand and hit her heavily across the side of her head. The blow stunned her, bright sparks exploded in front of her eyes, before a wave of tiredness followed. She needed to sleep, and fell down on the deck with a loud bump.

"Candy!" Malingo screeched.

"That's enough from you," Houlihan warned Malingo. "Take the girl and the rat down below."

* * *

Candy was huddled in the corner of her cell. She had no idea where they had taken Malingo, and was so stressed that she had lost all concept of time and space. All she knew was that she was trapped. In the darkness Candy's eyes looked here and there without seeing anything. Eventually she heard footsteps outside and the door was opened. Torchlight fell over her tearstained face.

"Girl, the Lord of Midnight will see you now," the guard told her. "You will address him as 'My Lord' or 'Your highness' if you are bidden to speak, otherwise you will hold your tongue. Do you understand?"

"Where is Malingo?" Candy challenged scrabbling to her feet.

"I said, do you understand? You friend is of no importance!" he shouted at her.

Candy shrank further away from him in her cell.

"Get her out of there, and bring her upstairs. The Criss-Cross Man will escort her to the Prince."

Candy was dragged through corridors and upstairs until she saw someone she recognised.

"Where's Malingo?" she asked again.

Houlihan's eyes darkened in anger.

"I have already told you girl, he will be safe as long as you play along. I don't know what _he_ wants with you, but you are nothing to me so don't think yourself important now. Wipe your face, you're about to meet Prince Carrion."

Candy did as he instructed and wiped her tears on her sleeve. She didn't know why she was here, but she was going to play this by ear. She had to be strong to survive this, and she was determined she wouldn't cry again, no matter what they did to her next.

The door opened for them, and Candy was pushed roughly into the dimly lit room. She almost lost her balance, which she suspected was what Houlihan wanted, but she remained upright and looked around in the dark.

Someone much taller than her, and much stronger looking too was standing at the window, looking down on his kingdom. Christopher Carrion's silhouette was just as she had imagined it. She didn't know why, for she had never seen him before, but that was how a prince should be. Frightening, fearsome, domineering.

"My Lord," Houlihan said dropping to his knees.

For some strange reason Candy felt she should do the same thing, but she ignored it. She wasn't about to grovel at the feet of anyone, prince or no.

"Houlihan, welcome home," Carrion said as if he hadn't met him a few minutes ago in the garden. "Is that the girl?"

He said all of this from his place at the window. Candy didn't remember him turning around, but now he was looking at her, she knew because she could feel his eyes, even if she couldn't see them.

"Yes, Candy Quackenbush."

"Very good, very good," Carrion said softly making Candy shudder as if cold. "Take a seat Candy Quackenbush."

Candy looked quickly at Houlihan. This horrid man that had so filled her with fear was now bowing low to the ground, in fear for himself. This worried Candy greatly, and she took a few hurried steps forward and sat down; as quick as she could manage before her legs gave out.


	3. Shadows of a Man

_**This Midnight**_

**Chapter Two: ****Shadows of a man**

Christopher Carrion observed Candy with a suspicious eye, like a child looking at a strange bug, trying to determine whether or not it was poisonous. He made the decision that she was not immediately dangerous. He didn't know what he had been expecting, but the girl made him feel slightly disappointed. But he was at least relieved to know that he was still the strongest person in the room. That was always a comforting feeling.

Carrion took a step forward, and although Candy couldn't see him properly, she shrank back in her chair. He kept himself purposely in the shadows, sparing the girl from the fear his appearance immediately evoked in people.

"A glass of wine Candy?" he offered enticingly, pouring her a glass.

Candy watched the wine fall into the cut crystal, catching in it the only light in the room with a flicker. Carrion pushed it towards Candy, making the bottom of the glass scrape over the wooden tabletop. His mouth turned upwards into a cruel smile, the girl would have to stand up and walk forward towards him to reach it. He wondered how she would react to this.

Candy looked at the drink with a hungry eye, her mouth felt dry, and the wine looked sweet. She had never been allowed to drink wine before, at least not in front of anyone, sneaking a bottle out the house with her friends was different to this.

"I can't reach it," Candy said simply, keeping her eye on the wine in case it should disappear.

Houlihan's head shot up in anger, how dare the girl speak out of turn like that? But Christopher Carrion's smile, which was barely a smile at all, but a twist of his lips, stayed on his face.

"Girl, you disrespect my master!" Houlihan snarled, silenced only by Carrion's raised hand.

"Thank you Houlihan, but I have taken no offence. The drink is indeed out of Candy's reach, she had merely made a statement," Carrion said calmly. "So Candy, you'll have to come closer."

Candy held her breath, frightened to let go of it in case they should hear her nervousness. She looked at the dark shadow before her, and found herself frozen to her chair. All eyes were on her, and something told her to get over her fears and stand up, take the glass and make him happy. She was acutely aware that this was some sort of test.

She knew that should she stand and go forward, the angle of the light would shift and he would be in full view for her. She wasn't so sure she wanted to know what he looked like, she was quite content just seeing him as a blurred shape.

Moving to the edge of her chair, she heard a change in the rhythm of Carrion's breathing, it sounded odd anyway, but the change heightened the sound to her ears. Standing slowly, she felt Houlihan's eyes burning her as she took a step forward, but she couldn't feel Carrion's eyes. Was he even looking at her anymore?

Candy reached for the glass, and as she wrapped it in her fingers she flicked her eyes up to meet with Carrion's. The shock that went through Candy at meeting his eyes made her gasp, and the amazement made the glass slip from her hand to the floor.

The glass hit the floor, shattering instantly, splashing Candy's foot with red liquid. The moment of wonder was lost, and Candy's heart began to race as she panicked. He wasn't human! Then her rational side kicked in, telling her of course he wasn't human, she was in the Abarat. But still she felt afraid.

Her eyes went down to look at the floor, the broken glass winked at her like a million diamonds, all strewn about as if a necklace had broken, not a glass. Candy's breathing came in gulps, her head felt light, and her legs unsteady.

"Houlihan leave us," Carrion ordered in an urgent tone.

Candy looked up at him again, her mouth slightly open in her dazed state. She had always prided herself with the motto, 'there is always something to say' but right now she could think of nothing at all to utter. She felt bad for staring, but she couldn't help herself.

Houlihan left in a very annoyed, reluctant sort of way, and as soon as the door shut Carrion held out his own glass of wine for Candy to take. Her hands fastened around it a lot more steadily than the last glass, and she brought it to her mouth eagerly, drinking it back without flinching at its sour taste.

If alcohol was supposed to calm you, then it wasn't doing much for Candy. Her dad had always said he needed a beer when he was stressed, which was sadly most of the time, so maybe wine didn't work the same?

"Cheers," Candy said quietly.

She looked away in surprise, she hadn't meant to say anything at all; the word had just slipped out. That seemed to happen quite a lot these days.

"Cheers," Carrion replied in an uncertain tone.

Carrion didn't know what 'cheers' meant, but it obviously didn't mean anything much, because Candy didn't look surprised when he returned it, maybe people from the hereafter said 'cheers' a lot.

Candy put the glass down carefully. Carrion observed that she looked as if she was about to move, and he looked quickly at the floor.

"Don't move," he instructed. "You'll cut yourself."

Had Candy been wearing her trainers she would have had no problem walking over the glass, but her feet were only bound in local Abaratian cloth, footwear chosen to make her blend in. Carrion was right, if she took a step she would have glass embedded in her foot.

Her heart began to race again, exactly what was he going to do to her? Surely he wouldn't try to help her over it, she wasn't about to have him touch her. But Carrion had no intention of going anywhere near her; as far as he was concerned the girl could still pose him a threat. Instead he waved his hand and the glass began to move.

Candy was sure she had heard him say a word, but she couldn't recall what it was, even seconds after. She had heard it in her ears, but her mind wouldn't register it. Her eyes watched the bits of glass roll over to one side, clearing a path for her to walk through.

Strangely it was the sight of these rolling bits of glass that made her feel dizzy. Suddenly the feelings of 'this isn't normal' came over her, strange because during her travels she had accepted all kinds of weird and wonderful things. Her best friend was orange after all.

"I don't feel well," she declared suddenly.

The feeling of one being unwell usually breaks down barriers. She had been too afraid to speak moments ago, now she had to get her meanings across. She put her hand on her stomach; it had tightened painfully.

"I feel sick… I need some air…"

Carrion realised what she was saying long before Candy did, she was swaying slightly, held up only because he had taken hold of her arm. Holding her like she had a disease, Carrion half dragged her to the large window.

The window opened up onto a small balcony, and Candy fell coughing to the floor. Many a person had emptied their stomach after a meeting with Carrion, disgracing themselves in their fear, but he had never felt any pity for any of them.

He felt sorry for this girl.

He felt as if he had broken something. She could have been a worthy opponent, for she had led him on a furious chase to get hold of her, but he had subjected her to too much too fast. But if she couldn't cope, then he supposed she wasn't the one he was looking for after all.

Carrion closed the glass doors, shutting Candy outside and rang for an attendant. Maybe the girl would jump off the edge, and then all his problems would be over.

But Candy just lay on the cold floor shivering. He watched her from the warmth of inside. What was done was done; he refused to regret his actions.

"Take the girl to her new quarters, and lock her in. We will begin testing tomorrow," Carrion ordered before walking out of the room, his mind buzzing with questions and strange thoughts.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three: ****Sleep for Breakfast**

Candy awoke to find herself in complete darkness. The room she was in had no windows, not that that mattered much anyway, there was no light to be had outside anyway. The room was like a large library; each wall was covered in books, from top to bottom.

Candy wondered if any of them had ever actually been read, as it looked too many for one lifetime.

After looking around some more, Candy began to suspect that the walls couldn't actually be real. There had to be doors, or wardrobes or something behind them, for there was no furniture in the room save the bed. There was only one door visible to Candy, and so feeling better for her sleep, and now very curious, she walked over to it and turned the handle.

It was not the exit. The door lead into a brightly white bathroom, which almost blinded her with its clean tiles when she turned on the light. Stepping inside, Candy closed the door behind her and began to run the bath. She felt as if this was one of the strangest prisons she had ever seen, and she wondered again where they had taken Malingo.

The meeting she had had with Lord Carrion lay buried in the bottom of her mind; all she cared about right then was the bath. But the memories began to come creeping back to her, one little bit at a time. The memory of that strange contraption around his face was all she could remember of his appearance, and it chilled her. Even the hot steaming water of the bath couldn't warm her blood anymore.

She felt like crying again, but she wouldn't. She had already promised herself that she wouldn't cry anymore, and was resolved to keep it if she could manage.

After being in the bath until her fingers were sufficiently wrinkled, Candy climbed out, wrapped herself in a towel and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She saw clearly the bruise Houlihan had given her, across her head where he had hit her. It started above her eye and travelled to her ear. It wasn't a bad bruise, but it could be still seen as a bluish tint on her skin.

She felt a flush of anger at the sight of that bruise. As if nothing else of what had happened to her mattered as much as that. Grabbing her clothes, Candy dressed and walked back out into the room.

There were two women and a man waiting for her in the centre of the room, and because Candy wasn't expecting them, she jumped and let out a short scream.

"Don't be alarmed miss, we haven't come to harm you," one of the women said. The smaller woman remained stony faced and silent.

Something in the woman's voice told Candy that that wasn't exactly true, but what could she do?

"We have just brought you your breakfast," the man said, setting said breakfast down on a small table by the bed. "Eat up now!"

The table hadn't been there when Candy went into the bathroom. She stared at them suspiciously.

"It took three of you to bring me my breakfast?" she inquired warily.

"No, Arthur your butler has brought you your breakfast, we two maids are here to assist you to dress," the tall maid answered for all of them.

Candy shrugged. She was hungry, and couldn't really care less about having supervisors. Maybe they were here to make sure she didn't stab herself with the butter knife or something?

She smiled at that thought, Lord Carrion would be really mad then. She stopped smiling, but she would be dead, so it really wasn't that good a plan after all.

The toast was just the way she liked it, hot, but not yet gone soggy with the butter on it. She ate fast and forgot all about the people looking at her with their mild curiosity. It was only when she drank the sweet drink that she faltered. Her eyes went wide and she looked up at them all.

They appeared to leer down on her.

"You've drugged me!" she said disbelieving.

"Oh boo hoo," the smaller maid said. Her voice was hard and cruel. "Poor little kidnapped girl!"

"How could you?" Candy demanded, but she was getting dizzy now.

"Orders are orders miss," Arthur said in what sounded like regret.

Candy fell forwards knocking the table and tray to the floor. Nobody moved to help her.

"Right then," the small maid said. "Lets get her out of here before someone sees, we have taken too long already."

Roughly, they all took hold of Candy, either grabbing a arm or a leg, and began to carry her out of the room and down one of the many dark corridors of the castle.

**_Author's Note: _**_Sorry, yes I know it's short, but it's meant to be. You reviewers have been awesome; I haven't been ignoring any of the suggestions you guys have made, so please keep them coming, and thank you! _


	5. Chapter Four

**_Midnight's Garden_**

**_Author's note: _**_Hmm, I was listening to Goldfrapp whilst writing this… I'm not sure Chris and disco go together, but I'm sure he owns all the albums. Super short, this is because I decided to shift the order in which events happen, apologies. _

**_Summary: _**_What if Candy hadn't escaped all those times and was brought to Lord Carrion?_

**_Chapter Four:_**_ Mater Motley pulls the strings_

Mater Motley was not one to be kept in the dark, so to speak; for, ever since Candy had been brought to the island she had known of it. Just as fast as her grandson's servants scuttled to him, her own spies had brought her the information.

Carrion had the girl he had been chasing.

It was important to discover exactly why he wanted her. The obvious answer was just too obvious, and she dismissed it immediately. She had seen the girl, and knew what an attraction her pretty young face must be to her unfortunate grandson, but that would not be his only motive; If it was one at all. There were plenty of pretty maidens in the Abarat, why this human girl? All she knew was that this infatuation was dangerous to her plans, just like the last one had been.

Love made people act stupidly. She hated the thought of love, and was proud to have never felt any herself. She needed Christopher for her plans, and she respected the strength of his character in the face of her darkest of plans and ambitions, for he had never shied away. But that was as far as her regard for him went.

She could not have some nobody of a girl corrupt his mind. She had worked too hard to mould him. She must discover who Candy was for herself, and armed with the knowledge she would then know best how to eradicate her.

Summoning her most trusted spy, Motley charged her with watching her grandson. She had only ever had Christopher watched once before, and the ending to that story had been a very unhappy one to be sure. She was not one to flinch at anything, but that had indeed been horrific, but what was done was done.

All that mattered now was that Carrion played his little games with the girl, and subsequently became bored. Yet something told her she would have to keep a close eye, and very close eye at that. She would suggest her execution at every chance she got.

But unfortunately, the thoughts had to remain in her head, she could not act on them yet. She would have to wait until Carrion came to her, like he always did to seek her advice.

So as she stitched her unending army of living mud, she waited, waited for news and waited for her Grandson.


	6. Chapter Five

**_Midnight's Garden_**

**_Author's note: _**_Ok, this is the chapter I have been trying to get to for the past two or so, please forgive me for the short ones now. _

_Ok, so remember in the book where Carrion was trying to see her dreams, but Candy escaped (darn her!) obviously for dramatic effect, but it was kinda easy to guess what he would have concluded from them. So, here we are:_

**_Summary: _**_What if Candy hadn't escaped all those times and was brought to Lord Carrion?_

**_Chapter Five: _**_Show me your dreams_

Candy awoke to find something pressing down upon her eyes, a ring of some kind of hard rubber causing her a pain in the fleshy part above and below her eyeball. Raising her hands to try and pull it away, she found she was wearing a pair of goggles of some kind. Like those worn as a child in a swimming pool, the ones that left a odd looking red ring when you took them off.

She tried to remove them, but she could find no fastenings. She thought it odd that she was still in possession of the use of her arms, she felt as if she ought to have been tired down, for this was supposed to be torture right? Or at least she assumed it was torture. For what she had heard about Prince Carrion, he seemed to be a fan of other people's pain, and she was defiantly in pain.

"Put your hands down girl, you will break my machine, and I can't have that," someone told her.

Candy jumped, she had no idea there was someone in the room with her, as she had heard no other sounds. But then, she hadn't really been listening all that closely. She heard the voice, but could not see who was talking, as her vision was black. Either the goggles were pressing down too hard that she couldn't open her eyes, or they were painted black and no light was coming it.

"Who's there?" she asked, her head swivelling from side to side, searching for sounds.

She realised she wasn't even strapped to the chair she was sat on at all. The only thing on her was the strange eye contraption.

"You needn't concern yourself with who is here right now Candy, but I'm sure you can guess. We have already been acquainted, so lets juts say that in the room there is you and me, and lieutenant Houlihan."

He was right, Candy could guess, the man speaking to her was Christopher Carrion. Something whipped past her face, like a piece of cold silk, and Candy realised someone, probably Carrion had just walked past her. She heard footsteps, but they didn't sound like they were in the room with her, they sounded as if they were coming from the room upstairs.

Her skin prickled as his hand touched her shoulder. His touch was light, but instead of making her sit up rigid and afraid, Candy's shoulder drooped as if he had placed the weight of the world on there. She felt calm, and frightened at the same time, it was if his hand radiated magic and it was pouring into her. All this she could feel because she had lost her primary sense.

"What makes you so special Candy?" he asked, his voice low, soft and only she could hear it. "Why have you bewitched me so?"

She shivered as his words ran through her. All the time she knew she had the power to shake his hand off if she wished. To cover her ears with her hands and refuse to listen to his lullaby voice. But she stayed as she was, softly slipping into a dreamlike state in which nothing mattered at all.

"Show me your dreams Candy, show them to me."

"What dreams?" she asked in a voice barely more than a sigh.

His hand twitched on her shoulder, and with the movement came a shiver down her spine. She was shaking now, had she been moments before? She couldn't remember.

"I want to know why you are hear," he said. His voice was not so soothing now, in fact it had a vicious edge to it, as if he wanted to dig his nails into her shoulder and wait for it to bleed.

Candy bit her bottom lip hard; she refused to cry out in fear. As she did so, his hand left her shoulder and touched her flushed cheek. His fingers were ice cold and made Candy gasp for air.

"Get off me!" she shrieked, smacking his hand away from her.

Carrion's thoughts were broken by the slap of her small hand and he realised in a moment of anger, that he had forgotten himself. He caught her hand in a tight bitter grasp and held her still, squeezing her fingers until he heard a clicking and she made a grimace. Would she not cry out?

"You dare to strike me?" he hissed too close to Candy's face, and much closer than she expected him. She flinched back in her chair in a fast movement.

Candy tried to snatch her hand away, but Carrion would not let the pain ease for her yet. He had designs for her, she had interrupted his plans, and he wanted to know why his interest in the girl now bordered on obsession. He was going to dissect her, rip her apart to see how she worked. He through her hands back down in her lap.

"The volts!" he ordered to someone, probably Houlihan.

Candy sat up bolt right in her chair; she knew she had just been electrocuted. The electricity shot through her in the most painful shudder of danger she had ever felt. It was if everything in her had just exploded, all her tiny blood vessels and all her organs; bang, gone. But with the pain came something else, it was chasing the pain out, where she hurt it invaded, soothing her, dulling her agony.

It relieved, it coxed, it wanted to dull the world outside, and she wanted it to take over.

"Yes Candy, sleep, and tell me everything…" Carrion's voice that had been so many emotions moments before, sounded cold again, and precise, as if he was a scientist, and she a study.

Without any warning at all, Candy's vision of blackness exploded in a bright array of colours, burning into the backs of her sore eyes. Shapes appeared and disappeared, like a kaleidoscope being turn around and around.

She laughed, and raised her hand outstretched before her as if to pluck at one of the colours taunting her, but all her hand met with was air, it was all an illusion after all. Carrion took her hand again, Candy didn't care, all that mattered was that the colours kept changing, and that she was happy.

'Come closer' she felt herself thinking.

She thought it so many times she couldn't remember if she had actually spoke it or not. She also wasn't sure whom she meant it for, Carrion or the colours? Not that it mattered, she just wanted something near her, to stop her feeling so lonely.

Someone else held her other hand, it was a female's hand, and soft. She drew it close to her, and smiled. She wasn't alone after all.

"Come closer," Candy whispered aloud. She was too entranced to even noticed she had spoken, but Carrion obliged her all the same.

"Your dreams Candy," he insisted.

Her mouth curled up in a lazy smile, drugged with magic, warmed by the feeling of both her hands being held so lovingly, at least one of them anyway. Carrion was still hurting her.

"My dreams…" she repeated in a daze. "My dreams…"

Carrion's hands were at Candy's face again, and this time she did not protest. She sighed as she watched the colours, and knowing she was lost in the world of magic he had made for her. Carrion knew now was the time to act.

Closing his own eyes, Carrion pushed his mind through his fingertips and into Candy's subconscious, immediately Candy's defences went up, but Carrion had had too much experience of this to spook and give up, he knew she couldn't fight him for much longer, she would have to give in to him eventually.

"Candy… Candy," he sang softly.

Candy heard him say her name, and thought it had never sounded so nice. His touch was so light and cool, and the colours so bright, why not give in? let him raid her dreams for whatever it was that he wanted and enjoy this dizziness?

But no matter how much she wanted to give up, something inside her wouldn't let her.

"The colours are brighter when you stop resisting Candy," Carrion told her, he was beginning to become annoyed, this was taking longer than usual.

"Yes," Candy replied as she breathed out.

As she relaxed slightly, Carrion's insatiable claws sunk deeper in. Even in her mind he was cold.

"No Candy, it's a trick!" someone screamed in her ear.

The surprise of hearing a third voice broke Candy's illusions, and in that second of surprise Carrion tore through her defence and claimed her mind. The sensation was like bugs crawling over her, but under her skull instead of on top of the skin.

With the horrid sensation came horrific images. Pictures so disgusting, that it was way beyond anything she had ever seen in a movie. More frightening and vivid because she knew instantly that these scenes were real, these screaming people were not acting.

Blood poured over the floor, splashed up the white marble columns, and flecked onlookers' faces. The grey slate floor, that had been so meticulously scrubbed for the occasion was strewn with ripped lace, stained red with pain. The screams were ones of fear, such as Candy had never heard before. There was such panic in the room, yet she was standing still.

Standing stationary with a presence of someone beside her. She didn't know who was her companion, for when she tried to look around they faded from her sight, as if they were always in the corner of her eye. Like a comet's tail, Candy only saw the person's shape when she looked in a different direction.

But whoever it was wasn't helping these frightened people either.

With the screaming came another attack on the senses. A thick smell of smoke hung in the air, but not that of burned wood. It hit the back of the nose, and burned the inside of the throat with its putrid sickliness of burnt flesh.

Candy thought she would be sick, any moment she would collapse and faint. But as she thought this, she realised, why would she faint in a dream? Surely she was still in that dark room of Carrion's? It was only her mind being tormented.

The person besides her took a step backwards, and the images began to change. Like the figure beside her, they began to run backwards; the events happening the wrong way round.

As fast as she had disappeared, there was the bride again, standing at the altar, her face aglow with happiness. The flowers in her hand the only bright red in the room, but soon that would change. She was all smiles and beauty, she knew nothing of what awaited her outside those heavy church doors.

Candy stared at the bride. No, she thought. No, why must it happen?

"No," she screamed aloud, trying to get nearer but unable to move her legs. "No, run!"

The bride turned to look at her with a serene calmness that quietened Candy. Her eyes were full of love, and Candy began to cry. Why must she die?

"Don't cry Candy, I know what is to become of me. I always knew, I was foolish to believe I could change it. But I promise you this, whatever he may have done to _me_, he will not do to you. I promise you…" the bride said, smiling a smile just for Candy.

Even though she didn't understand, Candy felt knew she should worry no more. She had made it all alright, what was to be would be, Candy mustn't cry.

Her mind flickered back to Carrion. Why was she seeing all this? Was this part of his torture? But she couldn't take her eyes off the bride, there was something about all too familiar. But the bride wasn't looking at her anymore, her face had changed; instead of the smile, there was a look of hate and loathing.

Candy realised she was looking at whoever was standing next to her, the person she couldn't see.

"Get out of here Christopher, get out!" she ordered, making Candy jump and her vision fuzzy.

Candy's world crashed around her. She was being sucked out of the images, and brought back to the cold room in which she was sitting. Tears fell into the rims of the things over her eyes, and she reached up again to pull them off. This time they came away easy.

Carrion stared at her face until he could look no more. How was this possible? How could the girl have witnessed something that had happened before she was even born? Who had put those ideas into her head?

Candy's mismatched eyes stared up in fear. What was he going to subject her to next? What more terrible visions did he have in store for her?

"Why did you show me that?" he demanded, leaving Candy confused.

"I didn't, _you_ showed me it! It was horrible!"

"Don't lie to me," he warned. But Candy's expression convinced him that she wasn't lying, something was amiss.

"Who held my hand?" Candy demanded equally as forceful. She didn't know where her strength was coming from, but she felt more powerful now after seeing that awful scene in the church than she ever had before.

"I did," he answered without pause.

"No," Candy said. "Who was the other person? The girl? Who was that?"

Carrion looked annoyed. There was only he and Houlihan in the room, Candy was clearly mad.

"There was no _girl_. Where have you got these thoughts from?"

"I don't know," Candy said firmly.

"I asked you, where did you get them? And answer me!"

"I told you, I don't know!" Candy shot back. "I've never seen anything like that in my life!"

He was angering her now. They were winding each other up into a frenzy, someone was going to be hurt soon, and Candy knew it was going to be her. But what could she do?

"Yet it is inside your head…" Carrion said. He sounded distant, as if he was thinking.

Candy waited, and shuffled in her chair. Was that it? Was the torturing over now?

"Houlihan, take her away. I must be alone," Carrion ordered, refusing to meet Candy's eyes. She was looking at him in such a questioning way that he felt agitated under it. It would soon turn to anger if she didn't stop soon.

"Very good lord," Houlihan said taking Candy's arm and pulling her to her feet. "You heard your prince, girl. Move!"

Candy cried all the way back to her room. So much for deciding never to cry again she thought. She wanted Malingo with her more than ever, she wanted a hug and to be told everything was ok. But all she could do was hold on tight to her pillow and soak it with tears.

**

* * *

Delavega:** Oh yes, that's Motley, I don't believe she did anything that wasn't part of some great scheme. She really makes me cringe. But an A plus, that's awesome! 


	7. Chapter Six

**Midnight's Garden**

**Author's Note: **Don't fret you people wandering up the garden path at midnight; Candy isn't softening to him yet. She still dislikes him with daggers!

**Chapter Six**

Candy was dreaming, or least she thought she was dreaming. Her skin felt hot, and her dark hair was stuck to the sides of her face with feverish sweat. Her eyelids fluttered every so often, and words were mumbled, but she could not escape from her purgatory of being between dreams and reality.

Three people stood around the side of her bed, all eyes looking down on her without sympathy. Their faces were hard and unfeeling, they saw suffering everyday of their lives, and this girl was no different.

The smallest of them, a sombre looking maid picked up Candy's hand, raised it and let it fall back onto the bed with a heavy thump.

"She is trapped in her dreams," she concluded. "She remembers where she is, but can do nothing about it. It's like being paralysed; we could do anything we wanted to her and she could not protest."

"How awful," the taller maid replied. "And she would know its happening?"

"Yes, that's what makes it so delightful," the small maid replied with a cruel smile. "We have to report this right away."

The three looked down on the girl for a last time, and then turned their backs on her, leaving her to suffer in her imaginary world.

It took two days for Candy's feverish dreams to break, and leave her in peace, and when she became aware of herself again she sat up empty of all thoughts. Rubbing her eyes, for under her eyebrows felt sore, Candy swung her legs out of the bed and tried to regain her balance as she stood.

She had no idea how long she had been asleep, but she could tell a great deal of time had past since her last encounter with Lord Carrion. Of course she had no idea that it had been as long as two days.

She felt numbed of all feelings as she pulled the switch in the bathroom, but as she looked in the mirror she began to remember.

Dark circles had appeared around her eyes, which she assumed must be bruises from where his eye contraption had dug in so hard. She touched a finger to them, and brought it away when it caused her discomfort. She felt embarrassed, how could she go out looking like this? Then she remembered she couldn't go out even if she wished to, and the feelings disappeared again.

Filling the sink with water, Candy didn't feel like washing properly, instead she simply washed her face, being careful of her eyes. She found her clothes draped over a chair and changed quickly in case someone should come in. But no one came. So Candy decided to linger.

Sitting down in the chair, Candy waited for someone to knock on the door, wherever it was, for she had yet to locate it. But still no one came.

Finally she got up to find the door herself, maybe they had forgotten all about her? Or worse, they had forgotten about her on purpose. Maybe they had locked her in, and were going to starve her to death? At this thought, she instantly felt hungry and she had to busy herself in order to forget it. She couldn't let fear well up in her again.

Looking around, Candy walked towards a wall and ran her hands over the books. They weren't fake; they were all real. She didn't know why this surprised her, but it did. She began to look at the titles, but they meant nothing to her. Some were in another language.

She was so engrossed in looking at the books, that when they opened before her into a doorway flanked by two guards, she jumped in surprise. She waited for something to happen, but they just looked at her expectantly. Eventually Candy realised they were waiting for her to walk through the door.

"Erm…" Candy stammered looking at the two motionless men in front of her, they were both double her size. "May I leave the room, please?"

It was if she were speaking to statues, for neither one of them even looked at her, let alone bothered to answer. Candy watched them both hopefully until she realised that she was not going to get a reply. So assuming she was free to leave the bedroom, since otherwise they wouldn't have opened the doors for her, Candy took a step out of the room, all the time expecting to feel a hand on her shoulder stopping her from going any further. But no one stopped her.

Candy knew where she wanted to go, she wanted to leave the tower, and guessing that she was probably above ground, she began looking for a staircase that led downwards. After walking through corridors, appearing just to go round and round in circles, Candy began to loose sprit. It was a foolish thing to think she could escape so easily.

She now knew she was in a greater prison that she had first thought. Letting her out of her bedroom had simply been a trick to make her think she had more freedom than she actually had, but there was no way of escaping this floor, except from jumping from a window to a plummet of many high feet.

Candy found that as her urgency subsided, and she understood that she was still a prisoner, she began to find her eyes ensnared by all the paintings and tapestries that lined the walls, and she found herself wandering rather than walking.

It would take her a lifetime to study all of them, not that she was usually interested in art and that sort of thing, but they were all made by people of the Abarat and were subsequently more special to her.

They showed so many beautiful and frightening things that Candy thought she would soon became disorientated and forget what she was trying to find. After stopping again to look at a particularly gruesome painting of a fallen animal in a battle, Candy heard the sound of footsteps growing louder, and feeling instantly that she didn't want to found in the hallway, Candy squeezed herself behind a suit of armour and waited.

The footsteps stopped, but Candy could see no one. Then without warning, the floor in which she had been standing on seemed to disappear, and reveal a staircase below it. Candy waited with baited breath, to see Christopher Carrion emerge from the black depths of the hidden staircase, and step up into the corridor.

Candy's heart hammered so hard that she thought for sure he must be able to hear it. He was standing so close to her that she could smell him. Her nose twitched, he smelt like a bonfire, but not unpleasant, just strange. She wondered what was on fire, and whatever it was, what had it done to offend him?

"Houlihan, my grandmother must not discover where I have been," he ordered to the man who had followed him up the stairs.

Candy watched Houlihan close the floor, it was so easy; why had she not noticed it before?

"She will not hear of it from me, Lord," Houlihan assured him.

"We must prepare, if day islands discover her before…"he broke off. "But she still sleeps, she will not even awake to my command."

"My Lord, they will not find her, and besides she is ignorant of it all," Houlihan assured him.

Candy didn't know why, but she had the distinct impression that they were talking about her. But she was distracted from what they were saying by Lord Carrion's presence.

All the time she had heard tell of him as a monster, and she'd certainly witnessed his cruelty herself, but here he was. No monster now, just a man stood moments away from her, all she need do was stretch out her hand to touch his shoulder. He did not seem so frightening at present. In fact his shoulders were slumped as she hadn't seem them before, and his head was slightly bowed. She could not see his face, but she could here his words, and what followed next was full of pain.

"I cannot loose her again Houlihan, I will not. They will not take her from me."

Houlihan said nothing to this, and in the silence that followed, Candy extended a finger from her paralysed hand, and let it scrape the back of Lord Carrion's jacket. She dreaded to think what she might have done next had he not moved away in hast, causing Houlihan to hurry after him.

She gasped air into her strained chest and squeezed back out from her hiding place. She was muddled in her mind from Carrion's words. What had he meant _again_? He couldn't be talking about her after all; they had never met before now. But at the same time she knew he was.

With mixed emotions, she pulled the lever she had seen Houlihan use and opened the floor. She felt sorry for leaving him, for his voice had spoken true to her of pain and suffering at her absence, but the instinct to get out and as far away as she could was too strong. She would not wait for him to subject to her to more horrid dreams; she would escape now whilst she had the chance.

He had been too close, and too real, and she had to leave.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Midnight's Garden**

Mhaha, new chapter, one day after the last, how's that for organisation!

**Chapter Seven**

Carrion put his hand on the door handle of Candy's room, this would be his third visit to the room, each time he had stood over Candy's lifeless form and willed and shouted at her to wake.

But as his hand touched the cold metal handle he realised something was wrong. How had he not noticed that his guards were missing?

"Houlihan, search the perimeter, the men that should be guarding this room are missing," he ordered in a steady voice.

Houlihan nodded, and headed off down the corridor. Carrion continued to open the door, not knowing what he would find behind it. Had his grandmother beaten him at his own game? Was the girl dead? Was she alive? He wouldn't know until he opened the door.

He could have screamed with rage, but instead his eyes had to hold all his anger silently.

"My Lord, your guards have been drugged…" Houlihan said standing straight-backed as he always did what making a speech to Carrion.

Carrion was only half listening.

"The girl is gone Otto," he said simply, but his mind was working quickly. "My grandmother has allowed her to escape."

Houlihan did not need to be instructed any further. His task was clear, locate the girl. All he needed to do was summon Carrion's men and begin a search, and Carrion's men were never far away.

"Find her Houlihan, or I will have you in the dungeons!" Carrion shouted without warning, making Houlihan drop down on one knee in a bow, spring back up and race down the hall.

Candy, unaware of what was happening upstairs, was still looking at paintings as she walked. She met no one on her explorations, and wondered whether she was in some sort of secret part of the tower. It seemed odd to her that she should meet with no one.

She found staircases like the one she had descended and stuck to those. They seemed to be lucky for her. She had no idea where she was, but a look out of the window confirmed that there was still some way to go before she reached ground level.

It took four more secret staircases before Candy realised she could hear voices. Without any one telling her, Candy knew she had to run. By the urgency of the voices, they were chasing someone, and she didn't have to wait to find out whom.

As she rounded a corner she came face to face with one of Carrion's guards. Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt her heart skip a beat in fear. She thought she was dead, game over. But the man paid her no attention, just simply pushed her out of the way and went to answer the summons on the floor above. They were calling all guards for one big manhunt for her.

Candy felt the sweat on her face turn cold, but she couldn't stop. Once the man told them all that he had just seen her, and only on the next floor down, Candy's head start would be nothing.

Running again, Candy found another lever, yanked it down hard and ran down the steps into the darkness. All the time she could hear footsteps above her, and all the while she was passing more and more of Carrion's guards, the ones that had not yet been ordered to stop her.

So blind was her panic that when a guard finally did stop her she began to scream.

"No, please let me go!" she shouted.

He held her arm fast.

"You will be mobbed if you go out there," he warned.

Candy froze. She was on the ground level, she had made it, and she was so close.

"Mobbed?" she queried.

She couldn't believe her luck, she had thought herself done for just seconds before, but this man didn't even know who she was.

"Yes, this is the presence chamber. Surely you should know that? What are you, a serving maid? New here are you?"

Candy decided to play along.

"Yes, I only just started today. I was told to go fetch someone from the stables," she said, the lies falling out of her mouth. She had no idea what she was saying, but it came out as if it wasn't even her speaking.

She couldn't imagine for one moment that the man holding her shoulder would believe her. Did they even have stables?

"Well you can't go through there, even if it is the fastest way. All of Lord Carrion's most influential allies are meeting," he told her.

But Candy had only heard two things, the words 'the fastest way' and the approaching noise down the end of the hall; they were so close to her now. Like a magpie, Candy spotted the key on the man's belt, it looked like one of those fancy swipe cards they had in hotels, and she snatched it at the same time she stamped hard on his foot.

It didn't send him falling to the ground, but it loosened his grip long enough for candy to twist away, swipe the card in the door and slam it behind her.

Once inside the room, Candy had the awful sense as she turned around, that she had just jumped out the frying pan and into the fire. All eyes were on her in the silent room, all of them angry eyes. These scary looking people had been in hushed discussion before she had barged in, and now they were all silent.

However the silence didn't last, and the door behind Candy was kicked hard with a heavy-boot sounding bang. The people in the room jumped, and looked at Candy hungrily. They were all here to score points for themselves in Midnight, and capturing one of Carrion's enemies was a sure way of doing it. They came at her at once.

But Candy was too fast for any one their grabbing and scraping hands. She jumped on top of the long table, ran the length of it and swiped the key in the door on the other side of the room. The door opened and Candy tumbled out onto the cold steps of an outdoor entrance. Kicking the door shut behind her, Candy allowed herself two seconds only to regain her breath before she leapt to her feet again and ran backwards away from the door.

When she was far enough away so that she could no longer hear the noise of the people inside, all screaming in excitement and the promise of a capture, Candy looked up at the lonely tower that she had just run through, and saw a single light burning in a top window.

The light held her attention and she found she couldn't take her eyes from it. She could have stood there forever, but someone called her name.


	9. Chapter Eight

**Midnight's Garden**

**Chapter Eight**

"Candy!"

"Malingo! They told me you were in the dungeons!"

"They told _me_ you were Midnight's prisoner."

Candy and Malingo stood in silence looking at one another, they were so happy to have found each other again, but they didn't need to speak it. Suddenly, and without any warning they both burst into laughter, the whole thing seemed so ridiculous now that they were together again. But it wasn't the laugher of carefree people, but people under stress.

"Come on, we're not safe yet, we're still on his grounds. Once we get past the wall we can talk," Malingo said coming to his senses.

Candy nodded, but then her eyes went back to the light at the top of the tower and she froze again.

"What _is_ that?" she asked looking skyward.

Malingo looked up and then looked away quickly.

"No one knows," he told her. "In all the books about Midnight it's never mentioned. I think it's best not to look, maybe we can find out on the way."

He tried to lead Candy away, but she was rooted.

"I don't think it's a light at all," she said still gazing up.

Malingo frowned. How could a light not be a light? But he decided to keep quiet, he didn't want a debate, he just wanted to get Candy away.

"Come on, we have to get out of here," he said dragging her hard and breaking the spell the light had had over her.

Candy shook her head.

"You're right, but where do we go?"

Malingo stopped and looked at her. He took in her worried face and decided that he'd have to be the leader now.

"The forest is the fastest way out of the city," he said, knowing his reluctance of this plan must be showing through in his voice. But Candy didn't seem to care; she just nodded and started walking.

It wasn't until Candy spotted the dim looking forest and all the lights around them began to get darker, that she stopped and hesitated.

"I don't think I want to go in there," she said refusing to move.

Malingo couldn't blame her, but he was also determined to get away fast.

"The only other way is through the city, but they might spot us," he said waiting for a reply.

Candy didn't seem to realise that they were probably being tracked right now, and were wasting seconds deciding which way to go. She seemed to think she had already escaped.

"I can't go in there, I'd rather go through the city, even if it means he finds me again, at least I tried…" Candy said. Malingo caught the hint of sadness in her voice.

"Well…" Malingo said looking at the forest, and then at Candy's face. "We better be making tracks then!"

He tried to sound merry, and ease some of Candy's worry, but his voice sounded full of apprehension.

* * *

Houlihan ordered a search, all the while aware that Carrion would later want a report of his every action taken. He knew he also had to go up the many stairs again and report, once more, that he had let Candy Quackenbush slip through his fingers.

His feet lagged on the steps as he walked, one, two, three, he was counting his doom. His hand rose to the dark wooden door, and he knocked hard and fast. His breath caught as he was called in, and he walked into the room as solemn as a schoolboy might walk if he knew he was about to be expelled.

"My Lord…"

"Shhh!" Carrion asked for silence by raising his hand in the air.

Houlihan stared at Carrion's turned back and raised hand with trepid alarm. What was to come?

"Am I to suppose that the girl is outside the confines of the tower?" Carrion asked eventually.

It seemed to Houlihan that Carrion had been using the few moments of silence to finish with whatever was on his mind before he was interrupted.

Houlihan didn't need to reply, for Carrion had already walked to the window to look down on his city.

"She will not escape the city My Lord," he ventured feeling that he ought to say something.

"She has escaped from worse; some of the tales you have told me Houlihan!" Carrion replied sarcastically. "But you are right, it would take something amazing for that girl to get away from me now."

Houlihan didn't know what that meant, but as long as he wasn't being punished he didn't care. He was completely forgetting that this wasn't really his fault, as least not this time.

Without warning, Carrion turned and walked straight towards Houlihan, missing him by an inch as he walked out the door. Stunned, Houlihan followed after him, not knowing if he should or not. But Carrion didn't notice, he was headed to the streets of his city to find his lost girl.

* * *

Candy followed Malingo into the madness of the city and tried not to be distracted by all the odd things around her. Her nose was attacked by the smell of strange cooking, and people kept shoving things at her, begging her to buy from their stalls.

She wished with all her heart that she had time to look over their wares. This would be the only opportunity she, or perhaps anyone else who lived outside of Midnight, would have of seeing what live was really like here, but she was unfortunately running against the clock.

"Come on Candy, they'll be after us soon, we have to reach the docks and get on a boat," Malingo said picking up his pace and dragging her even faster.

"Can't we just hide somewhere?" Candy asked reasonably, looking at all the inns they were passing.

Malingo shook his head.

"No, soon as Midnight announces you're an escapee they'll all be our enemies," Malingo argued as they raced. "We have to leave by boat as soon as we can."

Candy stopped arguing now, and concentrated on running. But Malingo had more stamina than her, and it wasn't long before Candy had a painful stitch in her side and her breath was raw in her chest. The air around them was cold and bitter like winter, and was burning her lungs.

As her pace slowed, they reached a clearing in the street. It looked like a courtyard of some kind, and they were both alarmed to find themselves out in the open after so long of being surrounded by busy people.

Candy halted for a second, there was a noise in the distance and she knew it was those chasing her.

"Malingo wait!" she shouted, but Malingo had caused a large gap to form between them, since he had continued running not knowing Candy had stopped.

Beginning to move again, but finding it harder now she had stopped for a moment, and the stitch even more severe, Candy screamed as she spotted what was after her.

Three large crossbreed dogs chased her across the courtyard, and knocked her legs out from under her, making her fall hard on the cold stone below. Malingo ran back but was could not get to her as the dogs were guarding her with bared teeth.

"Malingo run!" Candy ordered, only to have a dog bark loudly in her face.

Hot spittle sprayed into her eyes and over her cheeks, and she covered her face with her arms and tried to bite back her screams into a squeal of fear.

She didn't know what Malingo had done, whether he had run or had stayed, but she began to recognize that she had a terrible pain in her leg as well as her chest. She felt the hotness of her own blood against the coldness of the air and realised one of the dogs had bitten her when she had fallen.

There was silence all around her, except for the sound of footsteps and the growling of the dogs. A word was spoken which Candy didn't understand and then the dogs were gone.

Candy opened an eye and saw a pair of boots in front of her. Feeling that she was out of danger, at least for the moment, she braved a look upwards and followed the legs up, the sweep of the cloak up to the face looking down at her.

Christopher Carrion raised an eyebrow at the girl looking at him from the floor. She looked at him as if she wanted to say something.

"Had enough yet?" he asked.

"I…" Candy didn't really know how to answer that.

She'd had enough of lying on the floor, but she didn't want to go back to being a prisoner. Instead she wiggled her fingers on the hand that was in front of her, and then wished she hadn't because Carrion moved his foot and stepped on her hand.

Her face became a grimace of pain and she hissed through her teeth.

"Give up Candy Quackenbush, you belong to me now," he said bending down, his weight on her hand increasing as he moved. "Where were you going anyway?"

Candy looked at him with gritted teeth.

"Anywhere, just as long as it was away from you!"

"And that would be where? Do you really think that there is a place in the Abarat that I wouldn't be able to find you in? You can not hide from me, I know you better than you know yourself."

Candy frowned; there was some truth in that. After all, Candy had no idea who she really was, and why he was even bothering to keep her here. The idea of finding out was strong in her.

"You're hurting me," she said trying to keep her words level.

"Are you staying then?" he asked her refusing to move.

His hand reached down and moved a stray lock of her hair from her face, but his touch wasn't tender, it was if her hair annoyed him.

"Well, I don't seem to have much choice do I?" Candy replied, and then realising she had to give an answer said, "Yes, I'll stay."

Candy closed her eyes defeated.

"Do whatever you want, I know I can't escape now," she said much to Carrion's disappointment. He hadn't wanted the girl to give up just yet; he was just beginning to enjoy the challenge she was.

Candy let him roll her onto her back, and scoop her up high into the air and against his chest. He could be taking her anywhere, but her fight had gone from her. He could throw her onto a fire, and it would take her a long to time to realise.

But instead of subjecting her to some cruel act, he simply carried her through the city in silence. Everyone who had been shouting their wares were quiet now, all watching, all wondering why she was so special, and why their Lord was walking among them with a strange girl in his arms.


	10. Back to the castle

**Back to the castle**

He threw Candy at Houlihan, who caught her as if she weighed nothing at all. Houlihan hurried after Lord Carrion, slinging Candy over his shoulder and jolting her with every step.

"Get her out of my sight!" Carrion shouted after he realised he was being followed.

Houlihan paused for a moment, unsure what to do, but he needed a clearer order than that if he was to lock the girl up somewhere. What if he locked up in the wrong place? What if she escaped again? He wasn't prepared to take the blame for any of that.

Before he could even query, Candy decided to offer her opinion.

"Well, that's charming that is," she said sarcastically, as she stared at the floor in her upside down position.

"What did you say?" Carrion asked. He looked at Houlihan, and for a frightening moment Houlihan thought maybe Carrion thought _he_ had spoken. Houlihan deposited Candy on the floor in a heap.

Candy looked up at Carrion after giving Houlihan the nastiest look she could muster.

"I don't like you."

"Put her somewhere," Carrion ordered again. He felt like shouting, this girl was making him very angry.

"But where My Lord?" Houlihan questioned, there was a million and one places he could put the girl and the same odds that he would be in trouble for choosing that place.

"Put her in the dungeons, anywhere, just make sure she can't get out!"

Candy still looking up at him from the floor, scowled. There was no way she was getting bitten in the leg by rabid dogs, to be kept somewhere she didn't want to be, by someone she didn't like, and not even be important enough to be talked to. What was the point of her being here if he kept shutting her up places? He might as well let her escape.

"My leg is hurt! You can't treat me like this! Get off!" she screamed shrugging Houlihan's hand off of her arm.

Carrion looked as if he might hit her, but she didn't care. She tried the quiet sneaking about being afraid approach and all it had resulted in was some horrible images in her head and her leg filled with punctures.

When it looked like she might be ignored, Candy shot her foot out and tried to kick Carrion in the leg. She managed to hit him, although she wished she had tried to kick harder. Carrion moved fast and caught her face in his hand. He squeezed it tight, digging into the bones at the side of her jaw. Candy whimpered.

"Do not suppose you are something special to me girl, you are here because you have something that I want, but it is not _your_ company. Understand that I will not let you go, you will be going to the dungeons, because I cannot trust you to stay here."

"What if I promise?" Candy asked. The idea of being in the dungeons wasn't one she wanted to entertain, and if sitting in that boring bedroom again was what she had to do to escape it, she happily take that option.

Carrion let go of her.

"Take her down, I don't want to hear about her until I ask."

Candy was silent again, slumped back into her depression. There was no way she was ever going to get out of here. Half carried, half dragged, she was taken down and down until she couldn't remember how many sets of stairs they had trodden.

Houlihan threw her in a cell, slammed the door behind her and stared in at her for a while. She could feel his eyes grinning into the back of her head.

"Thought you could escape me did you? No one can escape me! And don't think I have forgotten about your little freaky friend, I'll find him, and when I do you'll wish you never tried to run."

Candy pulled her bad leg up under her and nursed it, waiting until she was alone before she could let the pain show on her face.

* * *

"Well, I suppose you thought that was funny," Carrion said as soon as his grandmother looked at him.

She sneered and turned back to her sewing.

"Do not waste my time," she said refusing to look at him again.

"I'm surprised you were so generous, what's the matter, lost your touch? There would have been poison involved by now," Carrion said pacing the room.

He walked to the window, and looked out, they always seemed to be so much higher up than they should be, one of Motley's strange magicks.

"Shows how little you know of me, why would I kill someone I know nothing about?"

"Has your little spy network been failing you? What a shame."

"Don't get overconfident with me, there is nothing about you that I cannot find out should I wish to."

"And you wonder why I never tell you anything," Carrion muttered. He was sure the old woman heard, she was right, she never missed a thing, but she chose to ignore him.

"I have had trouble finding someone to bribe, that damn general of yours will not tell me what you've been up to. But it's only a matter of time before someone hears tell of it, and I shall be the first to know."

Carrion smiled, so she knew nothing, but the fact that she was telling him this was worrying. It meant that either she had already done something, or was about to do something soon, something that would not be to his advantage.

"Oh stop trying to second guess me, it's incredibly trying, and stop walking about you're giving me a headache."

Carrion was feeling nervous, she defiantly planning something, he just didn't know what it was.

"Yes, get out! Get out, I'm fed up of you!" she called refusing to look at him.

Retreating, he wandered back, closing the doors of his office and sitting in the dark inside. Reaching out, he found his collar, and fitted it over hi head. The nightmares did that rest, fitting the tubes into the back of his head, and filling it's self up with his thoughts.

Lost in his thoughts, Carrion remained silent and still not noticing that time was passing in the world outside.

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note**: Sorry this hasn't been updated in so long, but I'm on holiday now, so hopefully I should have time to jot down some more chapters.

Thank you for reviewing!


	11. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

Candy was sleeping, in a rare moment when her mind had stopped wandering through the last hour of her life, she had slipped into a dream. In her dream someone was speaking to her, telling her something like a set of instructions. She twitched her foot and got told to stay still. The more the person spoke, the clearer the words became, she recognised the voice to be male.

Candy's eyes started moving under her eyelids as she began to wake up. As she did so, she quickly realised that her dream had more basis in reality than she had first thought. The someone was poking her injured leg, and the pain that shot through her was growing more intense the more awake she became.

Candy hissed between her teeth as another wave of pain came over her.

"I thought I told you to stay still?"

Candy's eyes flicked open.

"Oh my God," she exclaimed.

Now wide awake, Candy frantically moved away up the bench, only to find that there wasn't as much bench as she had first thought and hit her head on the wall. Her head felt numb for a moment, and then the pain flooded in like she'd burned herself.

She glared at Lord Carrion, and Carrion glared back at her twice as hard.

Candy raised a finger and pointed it at him.

"Don't touch me," she ordered trying to move as close to the wall as she could. "Don't you dare," she tried to sound commanding, but her voice just sounded frail.

"Be quiet."

"No, and get back. Further!"

Carrion didn't move.

"I told you to be quiet, my guards don't know I'm down here."

Candy frowned, what was that suppose to mean?

"Well that sure fills me with confidence," she said sarcastically. Carrion mistook this as sign that she had calmed down, and moved to grab her leg. Candy screamed.

"Get back!"

Carrion's jaw tightened, his hand suspended in midair between them. He didn't know exactly why he had bothered to come and see to her himself, he could have easily have sent someone else to do this, and yet he knew this would probably be one of his only chances to talk to the girl without anyone knowing what was being said.

"Exactly how far back do I need to be?" he asked, his voice sounded genuine with just a touch of exasperation, Candy was wise enough to hear it.

She thought about his question, she was going to answer it honestly.

"How about outside the door?"

Carrion looked at the door, as if working out how far away that was.

"And how am I supposed to tend to your wound outside the door?"

Candy shrugged.

"Not my problem," she said watching his every movement. "You think I'd trust you to help me after what you've done?"

Carrion seemed to grow less intimidating the longer he sat there; he had a look in his eye that told Candy that she seemed to have the upper hand, it was a look of questioning, as if he couldn't quite make her out. Candy thought that if she was worth all this trouble, there must be something that she didn't know about, and therefore she certainly couldn't trust him.

"I have done what was necessary."

"You set dogs on me, that was not necessary!" Candy saw him become smaller still. It was a trick, she had seen this game before played by cats and their prey; there were sharp claws under that exterior.

"What would you have suggested then?"

Candy couldn't answer; if she did she'd loose the argument. There was nothing short of knocking her out that would have convinced her to return.

Carrion waited for an answer, when he didn't receive one he gave her one of his twisted smiles. But this time, instead of recoiling, Candy just looked away and rolled her eyes to herself. This just seemed to infuriate her, and she didn't know why, she supposed she wanted him to remain serious, when he teased her it reminded Candy that he had a personality.

Carrion seemed to smile genuinely at her expression for just a moment, and then it was gone.

"I suppose you want to know why I am keeping you here?"

It was bait, but Candy wasn't going to play, she was beginning to second-guess him behind his words. It wasn't so hard, he was the captor, his job was to make life as horrible as possible for her, but if she refused to be affected, then he was failing his task.

"No, not really," Candy replied. She felt like adding a yawn for emphasis, but decided not to push her luck.

"And why not?" Carrion asked still trying to goad her.

"You've imprisoned me, I don't are why, doesn't really matter does it? When you're a prisoner."

Something about what Candy said made a spark show behind Carrion's eyes. The game was over; Candy knew she had to go back to being the meek little girl. Was it the fact that she's refused to beg for the information that had upset him?

"You are not a prisoner."

Ah, Candy thought, he doesn't like the truth.

"I'm in a dungeon," Candy replied logically.

"Only because you tried to escape."

"Then I'm a prisoner," Candy said nodding.

"If you promised to return, I'd let you go."

Candy looked up eagerly.

"Alright, I promise."

Carrion looked at her in silence, his eyes seemed to sweep over her heart as he did so, and it felt to Candy as if he'd just seen all her secrets.

"I don't believe you," he concluded.

Candy shrugged, he was right; she wouldn't have come back, so she supposed there was no other place for her than in the cell.

Carrion seemed to be thinking of something else, he had no intention of letting her out without her being chained to one of his guards.

"Let me see to your leg, and then I'll leave you."

Candy watched him intently, trying to work out whether he was lying or not, she couldn't tell, but she supposed she had best take a chance. She quickly changed her mind when she saw him holding a needle. Carrion grabbed her leg, as Candy kicked out he cut her hand on the needle. At this he dragged her leg closer.

"Stay still or I'll stick this in your face."

Candy froze; she didn't doubt that needle would find it's self in her eye.

"Fine," she said.

Carrion put four stitches in her leg, Candy thought he'd drawn them out as long as possible so that they felt like twenty-four. She hadn't cried out whilst he was there, but as soon as he left, Candy flipped herself over onto her front and sobbed into her bended arms.


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Author's Note**: Well this chapter was like pulling teeth, sorry for the major delay of updates. I'm not rushing any events in this fic, hopefully that way it will be much better for it. That said I desperately need to get this finished before the next book is published, and I know it seems forever away, but it'll come around much faster than expected! So please bully me on if I'm slacking. Thank you to everybody reading!

**Chapter Eleven**

Candy had no idea how much time had passed since Carrion had left her. She felt she had been lying in the cell forever. She has counted three meals, but they came so far apart that she didn't know how many she was receiving per day, and she was always left hungry.

Totally disorientated, Candy squinted into the light when the door was opened.

"Alright kid?" someone asked her.

He had a young voice, and Candy could tell instantly that he wasn't that much older than her. She tried to sit up, but her legs had gone numb.

"Someone there?" she asked quietly. She wasn't sure if she was dreaming or if it was real, she hoped it was real, and that they were here to take her away.

The young man walked into the cell and let the light fall on his face. He had strange coloured skin, some of his face was covered in scales, and he had an overall blue-ish tint. Candy didn't think he looked all too frightening, and for the first time since she had arrived her nerves were calm.

"Nice place isn't it, the dungeons? Say, you should stay here more often, it's free after all," he said looking around what had recently become Candy' home. "But, you're wanted upstairs."

"Wanted upstairs for what?" Candy asked.

"How would I know?" he said.

"You don't even know? Well you can't be very important then, in fact you're probably not anyone at all, a messenger probably," Candy said, knowingly provoking him.

There was flash of anger over his face.

"I am Letheo, Lord Carrion's personal assistant."

"Carrion has a personal assistant? Well, he must have really, really, really low standards, especially if he chose you."

Letheo shot across the room and had Candy up by the arm before she could protest.

"Ok, so I haven't been promoted yet, but that is none of your business! You are wanted upstairs, and it's my job to fetch you, so you are coming whether you like it or not."

"I don't want to!" Candy protested.

"Fine," Letheo said before putting a cloth over her face and making her breathe in something sharp and metallic smelling. Candy slipped out of his grasp and fell on the floor unconscious.

Letheo dragged her up the many steps from the dungeons, until he reached a more populated part of the tower, and someone helped him carry her the rest of the way. They barged their way into Carrion's audience chambers, and placed her on the floor before bowing. The man that had helped Letheo then made a speedy getaway.

"Objecting again was she?" Carrion asked looking at Candy.

"Not really my Lord, I just like using the poison," Letheo replied, also looking at Candy.

"Bring her in here, if I have to wait for her to awaken, then I want to be comfortable," Carrion said leading the way into a side room that had a fire burning. Letheo dragged Candy in after him and left her on the floor in front of the fire. He waited for further instruction, received none, and left.

Carrion sat at his desk and began to read, there was a lot that needed to be done, and he wasn't going to waste any time. He had finished two legal documents before Candy showed any signs of consciousness. At first he thought he saw her hand move, and began to watch her eyes intently, but she remained motionless. Returning to his reading, Carrion almost finished another stack of papers before Candy sat up abruptly and stared forward with a glassy look in her eyes.

"Are we there yet?" she asked the air in front of her. Carrion waited for her mind to right it's self before he said anything to her. Candy looked around the room, she seemed not to notice him at first, but when she caught his eye she visibly jumped. "Why am I on the floor?"

"That is your only concern? Well now, we are making progress," Carrion said.

Candy pushed herself up and looked around for a chair, there was a small arm chair over in the corner of the room. She walked over to it.

"I'm not scared of you, if that's what you mean," she declared as she went.

"We'll see," Carrion replied looking back at his papers.

"We will!" Candy said pulling the chair over to the light and the warmth of the fireplace. "And by the way, you look best from this angle," she added turning the chair around so she was facing the fire and her back was to him.

They sat in silence for a while, Carrion continued to read, and Candy scowled into the fire. Maybe there was something about her expression that the fire didn't like, as it spat with a loud crack, an ember onto the arm of her chair. Candy leapt up in alarm. Carrion looked up from his desk to witness the arm of the chair being licked by small flames.

Candy looked at him for guidance, but saw an expression on his face that only alarmed her more.

"You had better put that out girl," he said remaining stock still in his chair. Candy panicked, he wasn't going to help?

"How? How?" she screamed. Suddenly Carrion stood up.

"Put it out!" he shouted at her.

Suddenly Candy realised she was on her own. Something about the fire had rendered Lord Carrion motionless, his eyes just watching as the flames devoured more and more of the chair. Candy looked around for something to put out the fire. She tried to remember back to school science lessons, and something about oxygen fuelling flames. As she looked she noticed a cloak on the stand by the door, and without thinking any longer, hit the flames with it until they died, then smothered the last of the blaze. She stood looking at it a long time after it had died, feeling dazed.

"You're family died in a fire," she said suddenly.

"What?" Carrion snapped.

Candy looked at him bemused.

"I didn't say anything," she replied.

Carrion stared at her until Candy began to feel uncomfortable.

"Come with me," he ordered walking to the door.


	13. Chapter Twelve

**AN: **_I have been disliking the title of this fic for some time now, but have been unable to think of anything else. If anyone has any ideas I would be grateful! But be prepared in the future for the title to change!_

__

Thank you to everyone who reviewed!! Seriously never expected to have so many. Very sorry once again for the wait, but this chapter just didnt want to be written.

To LandUnderWave: I found 'Culloden's Harvest,' wow, now that's a sad song! I've got it on my Ipod now to give me inspiration, so thank you!

**Chapter Twelve**

Candy followed Carrion down some dark corridors, feeling as if she was in some sort of trance. The lamps had been turned on, and they were burning still, yet, the light was reluctant to reach out into the darkness.

Candy's eyes, at first were blind in the darkness, but slowly grew more accustomed. She saw that the walls were not bare, but were covered with paintings and tapestries. She pitied the poor souls, whose hard work had ended up on these walls, hardly to be noticed. And She didn't look any closer than a quick glance, too afraid of what she might see in them.

Candy's mind had somehow disconnected itself from her body; certainly she wasn't willing her legs to be walking. She could have been a spectator in this corridor, so far removed from herself as she felt. She wasn't the only one with ghost-like qualities. Carrion always appeared one step away from the light, and was never fully illuminated, and to her strained eyes he looked like a ghost walking before her.

The incident of the fire had caused her to act without questioning, and it had brought home the fact that her mind had been filled to busting with thoughts. These thoughts had all vanished now. That one panicked instant rendering them all worthless.

Why had she been thinking about escaping? Why had she even allowed that thought to take over her mind? Carrion had made it undoubtedly clear that she would never now achieve it. She didn't know her way around Midnight, and she was sure no one out there would wish to help her.

Carrion continued to walk, never once looking behind to see if she was following. However Candy knew she had to follow, mainly because she didn't dare walk the other way, and also she was intrigued.

Her stomach had reached it's full of fear, there was no more shaking feelings inside of her to surface. She was here, and there was no escaping. She felt she ought to be cowering in a corner, but instead she had a strong desire to know what was going to happen to her.

"Where are we going?" Candy asked as she followed.

Carrion didn't reply at once, he simply kept walking forwards down the strange corridors.

Candy wondered how it was possible to have such long corridors in a round tower, but then nothing ever really made any sense to her in the Abarat, and certainly nothing in Midnight seemed normal.

"My leg really hurts," she added.

_As if he cares_, she thought. _It hurts because he's put all those stitches in it, and pulled the skin too tightly. _

Candy was concerned her wound would heel haphazardly, and not be a smooth pale mark that would have been left by the doctors back home.

Carrion stopped in his tracks and turned to face her. This surprised her, and rather than simply stopping herself, Candy took a step back. She wasn't lying, her leg really did hurt, and if they continued walking it would be hurting even more.

He looked at her leg, and Candy looked away embarrassed. She didn't like to be studied, in her experience, being studied normally resulted in an insult of some kind. 'Well, you're not as stupid as you look', 'are you still biting your nails?', 'stop slouching, and take that look off your face', were just some of observations she had been greeted with in her life.

"It's not far," Carrion informed her.

Candy wasn't sure whether she was suppose to reply or not. Carrion was still looking at her, so Candy thought she had best say something.

"Ok."

Silence. Carrion looked her over once more before continuing. Candy frowned, what was he looking at? Usually Candy could tell what people were thinking, she was good at reading faces, but she didn't have a clue about Carrion. Nothing showed on his face, which was one the strange things that made him so alarming.

But he hadn't lied, it wasn't much further. They stopped in front of some double doors. For a moment Candy thought he might be loathed to open them, and that he'd change his mind and send her back to the dungeons.

"What I am about to show you…" he said.

Candy felt herself leaning forward to catch his words. It felt like a secret, and she got the distinct impression that this room was off limits to everyone else.

He caught her looking at him, and this time she didn't look away. He saw the intrigue in her eyes, something he hadn't seen there before.

"She…" he began.

Candy found she had tilted her head slightly to the side, to urge him to continue. But he seemed to give up on himself, unable to tell her what he wished to.

"It's ok," Candy found herself saying. She wondered at her words, she had felt truly sorry for him at that moment, but she couldn't explain why.

He pushed open the doors and lead her inside.

Candy looked up at the ceiling in wonder, it was moving, like dark clouds over the sky. In their depths were colours of dark purple, grey and blue. Even though she was curious, she didn't dare ask what it was. She hoped Carrion would explain once he saw her interest.

Candy stood in the centre of the room looking upwards, it was beginning to become hypnotising, and she felt much calmer as her heartbeat slowed.

The room wasn't as big as she had thought, as Carrion had already reached the other side, to where he had opened a cupboard. Candy forced her eyes away from the ceiling, and joined him. The open cupboard doors had revealed a box.

Candy studied the box as she waited for something to happen. It had symbols scratched into it's wooden surface, which looked like they had been roughly done.

"Inside this box is a gift for you," Carrion said still staring at the box.

Candy felt her skin prickle. The symbols were looking more and more ominous with every passing second. Her imagination was rapidly going into overdrive. What was she going in to find in there? The box was just the right size to accommodate someone's head.

With a shaking hand, Candy reached out and pushed back the lid. It swung back on silent hinges, and she slowly peered inside. Nothing jumped out at her, and nothing appeared to be dangerous. All the items were wrapped in dark blue velvet.

"This is for me?" Candy asked. She picked up what she thought might be a picture.

"That I want you to look at," Carrion said referring to the item Candy was holding. "You may take anything else to keep."

Candy wasn't sure she really wanted to keep anything that was in there, but to be polite, she reached inside and took out the first thing she came across.

"I'll keep this one, thank you," she said putting it into her back pocket.

Carrion stepped back as Candy unwrapped the picture, she stared at it once it was uncovered. She felt a chill run up her back, before she felt herself heat up with anger.

"What is your problem?" she snapped. "Why are you showing me this? I can't watch it all again, I just can't. Don't show me that again."

Carrion frowned. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting from her, but it hadn't been this reaction.

"It's just a picture."

Candy shook her head and put the picture down.

"It's that girl, the one that died on her wedding day," Candy said turning away as the images flooded back. "Oh God," she whispered stepping away. "All that blood!"

"That girl was Princess Boa. She died before you were even born. So, now that you know that, maybe you would like to tell me, why you have all these memories in you head? How is a girl from the hereafter, able to see an event she was not even present at, as if she sitting in the congregation?"

Candy stared at him with a bemused look on her face. What was he saying? That she had been the one showing all those horrible images.

She turned away and put her hands over her nose and mouth in sort of prayer position.

"I don't understand this," she whispered through her hands. "Do you know what it means?"

Carrion said nothing, there was nothing he could say. He understood this as much as she did, there was a lot to be thought about. Candy was searching his eyes for an answer, but there was no answer for her.

"You know you cannot leave now," Carrion said.

Candy closed the box, and Carrion shut the cupboard doors. She nodded with a sad understanding. She was a part of a riddle, she couldn't leave until she knew what it meant. Just because _she_ meant no harm to anyone, didn't mean what fate had planned for her didn't.

"If I'm staying, can Malingo stay with me?" she asked. She didn't want to be alone here, and there were things she desperately wanted to talk about. She waited for the crushing 'no' that was undoubtedly going to follow.

But Carrion said nothing, to which Candy supposed to be a yes.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

She was supposed to be dressing for dinner, and whilst the dresses lay waiting for her to choose which one of them she would wear, Candy remained sitting on the end of the bed. She knew that the time was passing around her, and yet she remained unmoving. He would be waiting for her soon, and she had not even bathed, or even attempted to make herself ready.

Not understanding why she wasn't changing, Candy just stared at the dresses with a numb feeling. Even their beauty didn't excite anything inside of her, even though never in her life of before would she have had the opportunity to wear something so fine.

She would never have been able to afford it, and even if she had managed to scrape her monies together, where would she have worn it? No one who lived that kind of life would have ever looked at her, she was just a girl from a small town. She was ten-a-penny, she was just Candy.

Except now she wasn't even her anymore, now she hadn't even got that little piece of identity. She was host to someone much prettier, smarter, more loved than she. How did she know that? It was simple, she could feel it. Just like children know who is to be popular and who isn't, Candy felt drowned out by this presence, as if anything she thought or felt paled in compression.

This is why she stared at the dress. It was something from Princess Boa's world, not hers, and if she was to wear the gown, she felt as if she might loose her last scrap of identity to the other soul inside of her.

Candy wrapped her hands into the silk of the pale pink dress, and felt the cold pearls under her fingers. How could she possibly wear this? It wasn't made for her! She couldn't barely sit still either. Waiting for what was to come in the future was pressing upon her mind once more. Whatever was planned for her, Candy wanted to know now. Standing up and taking the dresses with her, she dragged them towards the fire.

One by one, Candy threw the dresses into the fire. The first caught in a blaze and the lace and silk burned quickly, turning black and shrivelling into dust. The next caught slower, and began to smoke. Raising her hand to her eyes, Candy realised what a dangerous thing she had done. The dress was hanging out of the grate, and slowly the flames were spreading down the material and onto the hearth.

Turning, Candy hurried to the door. The smoke was curling around the door frame and escaping outside. Candy called down the corridor for someone to help her, and when someone came running, Candy moved away, and began walking in the other direction.

It was their problem now. But Candy felt as if one fire was not enough to cleanse the anxiety she was feeling. If she caused fear and panic for a moment, then it lessened hers for a few seconds. The dresses here gone. The princess' dresses were burning, and her identity was safe for now.

Candy didn't know where she was going, and yet, she felt her feet knew where to take her. There was a shadow of a voice in her mind, telling her which way to go, which door to open, which passageway to take, and even though she felt the fear of being caught, she couldn't turn herself around.

The door before her was of dark wood, carved with little faces, contorted in pain. Candy stared at the door with a confused expression. She was certain that, what was behind it was pleasant, so why the ominous warning to those that dared to enter? Breathing in and holding onto her breath, Candy reached out and touched the door handle. No sparks flared, no voice or warning, nothing happened, and Candy, feeling slightly braver, opened the door to be flooded with a blinding white light.

Taking a few steps, Candy began to wonder why she had come here. She had thought all her questions would be answered once inside this room, but nothing had enlightened her. The light she had seen burning from the ground below had inspired such thoughts of fancy, that she felt disappointed that her expectations had been so high.

However uneventful standing in the light might have been, Candy was increasingly loosing awareness of where she was. Suddenly she was aware she wasn't standing there alone anymore.

"I don't think you are meant to be here."

Candy turned around slowly, as if she was caught up in some sort of dream.

"I don't think you're meant to be here either," she said, her voice sounding far away to her.

Letheo smirked and took a step towards her, and smirked even harder when Candy moved away.

"You don't even know why you are here," he said smugly. "Do you even know what you are looking at?"

"Are you going to tell me?" she asked.

"No, I don't think I will," he said folding his arms.

The light was distracting her once more, and she turned her head towards it. It illuminated her, but seemed to drain all the natural light and youth from her face.

"I don't think you know what it is, besides, if I asked Lord Carrion, he'd tell me what it is," Candy said, proud for a moment that she alone had the power to ask the Lord of Midnight questions.

But her confidence was shattered when Letheo laughed.

"Sure," he said amused. "After he beats you for being in here."

Candy felt a shiver run up her spine. The fear crept back upon her. Her proud feelings seemed stupid now. How could she had ever have felt pride in her unfortunate situation? She had no powers here. She was in danger here, confused and utterly alone.

"Well go and tell him then," Candy dared. Certain that Letheo would never do such a thing, in fear of what would happen to him. "If I am not allowed in here, then neither are you."

But Letheo wasn't listening. His eyes had widened and he appeared to he interested in something outside of the room.

"Someone's coming!" he said in alarm. "Quick, we can't be found here."

Candy shook her head in disbelief. Was there nothing he wouldn't try to scare her?

"Why should I believe you?"

"Fine, stay where you are," he said uncaring, before hurrying to the only piece of furniture in the room, and hiding behind it.

Candy watched him disappear behind the large chair and wondered what she was doing. Why wasn't she hiding? She could hear the footsteps outside of the door for herself now, but still she couldn't move. The door opened, and she was caught in the full horror of her situation.

The woman before her almost dimmed the bright light with her dark and evil presence. Her face, that would have look horrific enough in regular light, was covered in shadows, as if the light was scraping across her face with sharp fingernails.

The old woman raised her hand, and before Candy had a chance to move, struck her hand hard across Candy's face. The old woman's expression changed to a look of twisted joy, when Candy cried as she was flung sideways from the weight of the blow.

"How dare you sully this place with your unworthy presence?"

Candy tried to look at her, but could barely see through the tears in her eyes. Her face was stinging so badly, that she feared the handprint on her cheek would remain there forever.

"Get out," the woman commanded, grabbing Candy's arm and throwing her towards the open door.

Candy barely managed to steady herself before she slipped down the stairs, by clinging desperately to the door frame.

"And you," the old woman said turning back into the room. "You shall stay."

Letheo looked out from his hiding place, in time to be hit by a cold draught of air, and with it a word of magic, that forced him to close his eyes, and fall forwards unmoving.

* * *

A/N: Well there you go! That darned evil grandmother of doom. I've been through millions (well maybe not millions) of plot ideas to get to this point, that and some evil writers blockage. Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter!!


	15. Fire!

****

Author's Note: Thank you everyone for the reviews. Sorry I can't update faster, I just don't know why I'm finding this story so hard to write! Anyway, I wrote this chapter whilst on holiday, sitting in the Spanish sun sigh. Seems so long ago…

Candy screamed as she was dragged along the corridor. The people that had a hold of her were hardly people at all. They seemed to be made up from many different sources, like Frankenstein's monster. Candy's legs had collapsed at the sight of them, and rather than being given the chance to right herself, they had grabbed her and began their slow march.

Candy flailed her legs, but she couldn't shake them. They were dragging her backwards, so her face was towards the ceiling, and she could see the old electric lights above, all covered in dust. Some had blown, and from their state she knew that no one here, in their world of magics, knew how to fix them.

Mater Motley was muttering to herself as they went along, speaking words Candy didn't understand mixed with plenty of evil words that she did. She understood very quickly that, whatever power she might hold with Lord Carrion, it meant nothing to these people.

She saw how stupid to have been afraid of Carrion, when she had such enemies waiting to seize her. Her only hope of being rescued rested with the last person she had expected. Except, he had no idea where she had gone, and if she was not mistaken, Letheo wouldn't be any help to her either, even if he was still alive.

Lord Carrion would probably think she had broken her promise, gone back on her word and run away. He was probably waiting for her right now, growing more and more incensed. He'd send the dogs out again, except this time she wouldn't be caught.

"Please let me go!" Candy pleaded knowing it was useless, but unable to keep herself from trying. "I didn't know I couldn't go in there."

"You belong to me now. If he wants you back, then it's me he'll have to appeal to. Your power and spell is broken."

Candy sobbed. She had no spells, or powers, why couldn't they see that?

"But I just want to go home. I never meant the Abarat any harm. I came here by accident!"

Motley laughed. It sounded hard and cold to Candy, and upon hearing it, she realised that begging was fruitless. Her legs went limp, and she allowed herself to be taken.

Candy had lost both her shoes in her struggles, both being ripped from her feet as she kicked against the floor. Now her socks were fraying at the heels with the friction, and she was beginning to feel some pain. She dug her heels to the floor, if there was pain, then there was less to think about.

Christopher Carrion was stood by the window, in his hand was a glass of dark red wine. He knew the girl wasn't going to appear, but he still remained standing. The dining table had been set especially, with candles and silver cutlery.

His mind was in disagreement. He couldn't decided whether to remain in the room with the hope that she had simply lost her way, or to send the scouts out to find her. He called for one of the guards outside of the room. Perhaps a search within the confines of the tower should be the first action.

Carrion waited in the dining room for the results of the search, the news was brought to him by lieutenant Houlihan. Carrion frowned as the man walked towards him, he distinctively requested that the boy Letheo should report to him.

Houlihan bowed low, he had bad news to deliver.

"Sir, there has been no sign of Candy Quackenbush. However the guards assure me that she did not leave the tower."

Carrion turned the information over in his mind. Although he had allowed the girl the freedom to move about the tower at her will, he had doubled the watch on all the doors.

"And Letheo?" he asked.

Houlihan bowed once more.

"There has been no sign of him either."

"Fire!" someone yelled as they rushed by, hurrying past the open doorway.

Carrion remained where he was, this had his grandmother's hand upon it, but it was never a good idea to confront her. He sat and waited to be reported to, knowing that he had been outmanoeuvred this time.

Letheo awoke to find himself struggling to breathe. His body had been fighting for the air whilst asleep, but had been forced out of it's stupor in order to escape. Crawling to the door, Letheo pressed his hand against it and felt his body weakening with every second.

He racked his brains as he lay, gasping for air. Why had he not been affected when he first stepped into the room? Why was this happening now? Coughing, he knew that he was under attack, but all that was in the room was the light.

But still, something was forcing it's way into his lungs. Shaking his head fiercely to stop the drowsiness that was overcoming him, Letheo pushed himself to his knees and pulled on the door handle.

It opened with a bang, as if more than just himself had been pushing on it from the inside. Letheo crawled as quickly as he could from the room, and felt a breeze rushing past him from the room, to flow down the stairs. Realising that something was escaping, he kicked the door shut with his foot, and finding his breath, staggered to his feet and hurried down the stairs.

He walked in silence, with shaky breaths, until he came to the main corridors of the Twelfth tower. People were hurrying this way and that, and no one would stop to answer his questions. Eventually he grabbed hold of a passing maid, and detained her by the arm.

"What is happening?"

She stared at him flushed. She seemed to see something odd in his face, and her eyes were growing wide in fear.

"There was a fire, Candy Quackenbush has disappeared," she said, eager to be let go.

Letheo suddenly remembered why he had gone to the strange room in the first place, he had been following the girl, as instructed.

"Where is Lord Carrion?" he demanded.

"I don't know."

He released the girl roughly, and she fell back in with the crowd of people. Knowing that he would have to find Carrion himself, Letheo headed for Carrion's audience chambers, only to find his way was blocked.

"Where do you think you're going?" Houlihan jibed, standing in Letheo's way and refusing to let him past.

"Out of my way, I have to see Lord Carrion," Letheo said.

The larger man pushed him backwards and laughed.

"I have no idea why Lord Carrion keeps you here, you're nothing but a beast. In fact, I know just the place for you," Houlihan said with a horrid smile.

Letheo regretted showing the panic on his face. He had caught a glimpse of himself in the glass of a framed picture, and he was turning. His face was becoming covered in scales.

"I don't have time…"

But his never managed to finish his sentence, as Houlihan took hold of him by the hair and dragged him back along the corridor so quickly that he no time to react. The instinct to fight back only kicked in when it was too late, and he had been thrown into a broom closet.

"Where you belong beast," Houlihan said slamming the door.

Letheo kicked at the door, and threw himself against it, but it was no good. It had been locked from the outside, and he could hear Houlihan walking away laughing.

He thought bitterly of the girl. She was in the hands of Mater Motley, and only he knew what had happened to her. But rather than think of her wellbeing, he thought only of the beating Lord Carrion would give him, if he did not relay the information to him soon.


	16. The Room of Souls

**A/N: **Thank you to everyone who reviewed and asked for more chapters!

Xandraghazia -- Thank you for your question, it's very relevant. I've half answered it in this chapter, but things should become clearer later on.

**The Room of Souls**

The people that surrounded Motley were evil looking, and unnatural. Candy could sense from them that they had no souls, that they would not think twice about hurting her. She knew she was in great danger, and knew that the only way to survive was do what she was told.

Candy wiped her eyes on the back of her hand. She had been silently crying, for what seemed to her like years. They had locked her away for a long time, in a room with no light and no water to drink. But now she had been dragged back out, to a questioning. Motley relentlessly questioned her, until Candy became confused. So much had happened to her in a such a short space of time, that she felt she had had no time to comprehend any of it.

The questions seemed to make no sense to Candy, and she was repeatedly asked the same ones over and over. She felt she was going round in circles, and clearly she wasn't being believed.

"Why did you come to the Abarat?" Motley asked once again, in a voice that never seemed to tire.

Candy closed her eyes, she couldn't even remember anymore. She had tired to explain so many times now, but how could she answer something she didn't even know herself.

"I told you, the sea came…"

"Why would the sea come to you? You pathetic girl… you are one of millions in that world you come from, what makes you chosen?" Motley interrupted.

Candy shook her head.

"Why wont you let me go? I didn't come here on purpose!"

Motley turned her back on her, the movement accompanied by the sound of creaking bones. She was thinking; Candy could almost see the thoughts fighting for space in her head.

"Why this girl?" Motley asked herself. "Pretty, but she is no beauty. So young that she is good for nothing… Boa I could understand."

Candy had looked up in such a way at the princess' name, that it caused Motley to look back at her, having sensed the movement.

"Know that name do you girl?" she asked interested.

Candy found her tongue was tied. She could think of nothing to say, and she felt the sweat on her back turning cold in her fear. She shook her head in what she hoped was a convincing way.

"So, if you know of his past…" Motley said once again to herself. "What does he want with you?"

Candy hung her head, she didn't know.

"Do you know in which room you were in?"

Candy didn't need any extra description to know exactly which room she was referring to, it was the room with the strange light. Candy shook her head, she hadn't been looking for the room, or at least, not on purpose.

"It was a room of souls," Motley informed her. "I take the souls from people unworthy of them. My stitchlings feed upon them, it is what gives them life. The light you could see, is what we refer to in life, as tears."

Candy didn't understand. How could souls be taken and put into a room? And if this was true, why had she been drawn to them?

"They are always screaming, I hear them in my mind, I can hear them from here," Motley said, her face looked pained, as if the sound was an unbearable annoyance. "But, all of a sudden, they went quiet… why do you think that was?"

Candy shook her head. How was she supposed to know? Why did they all think that she was something special?

"I don't know," Candy said pleadingly. "Please just let me go. I wont tell Lord Carrion that you took me, I'll keep it a secret!"

Motley laughed dismissively, and Candy realised that she had no fear of whether Carrion found out or not. She paced the floor for a moment, her dress dragging along the floor behind her, scratching at the tiles.

"He looked into your dreams," she said suddenly.

Candy looked up alarmed. She wouldn't have to go through those visions again would she? She would do anything not to see that awful day again. It was so twisted and mangled now in her mind, that she could not bear to even think of it.

"No please, I don't wish to see them again!"

Motley leaned over her with a fake smile upon her face, and her voice was of the false sickly kind.

"If you tell me what you saw, I will not make you see it again," Motley reasoned.

Candy looked sideways nervously, she wished she wasn't alone here, she wished she had someone to tell her what to do. She looked at Motley, and knew she couldn't go through her dreams again.

"I was in a church, and there was this girl…" Candy said uncertainly.

"Go on,"

"She was a bride. She was getting married, but she died. She spoke to me, told me she'd help me, but then the dragon…"

Motley whipped away from her, snapping her fingers for her servant to follow her. Candy felt herself grabbed from the side and dragged to an upright position.

"Take her back to the room, this will end," Motley ordered.

Candy felt her heart jump with fear, where was she going now?

* * *

Lord Carrion was watching a nightmare dancing on the floor, it was suffering because it was hungry and needed fear. It came near to it's master, but found there was no fear for it there, and now it was dieing. Carrion stared at it's strange luminous colour. His mind was elsewhere. He knew he had to face his grandmother, but still he delayed. 

He was loathed to go without proof, he would be at a disadvantage if he was there on guesswork. It was still possible that Candy Quackenbush had managed somehow to escape the tower, he needed to be sure.

"Houlihan," he ordered. From somewhere in the shadows, the man summoned emerged.

Houlihan bowed, avoiding the nightmare that was now creeping towards him hopefully.

"Find the boy Letheo."

"Yes my Lord," Houlihan said hiding his smirk. This was what he had been waiting for. What did it matter about the Quackenbush girl? She could die for all he cared, she had been nothing but trouble to him.

* * *

Letheo squinted as the door was opened and strip of light touched his face. His skin was covered in scales, and his nails were all but claws. He felt his animal rage spark in him, but forced it down, he wasn't about to be overtaken by the beast just yet. 

"Lord Carrion wants to see you. You have been missing for a day," Houlihan said with a smirk.

"Who's fault is that?" Letheo croaked, his voice changing in his throat.

"I have done what I needed to do. Carrion needs to think that Motley roughed you up a little," Houlihan said opening the door wider so that Letheo could walk out. "Imagine if Lord Carrion thought you had let the Candy girl go without a fight? Besides, the Lord needs a reason to confront his grandmother, and now he has one."

"I already had a reason, Motley took Candy."

"That is already widely known, but I couldn't let you take the credit for imparting the news," Houlihan said with a grin.

Letheo shook his head. Had Carrion ordered his confinement in this roundabout way? Did he really need a reason of his servants mistreated to confront his grandmother? Letheo didn't know, and knew he probably would never find out, but there was something he did know.

Candy had been in Motley's hands for a day now, and she could be suffering. When he mentioned this to Houlihan, his reply was that he did not care. The man was thinking of his own glory in discovering Letheo. But Letheo wouldn't let it rest.

"What if I tell him the truth?" he asked.

"Then Lord Carrion will beat you for being caught, that is what will happen," Houlihan replied with a snarl.

Letheo didn't understand, but then he was a servant, he wasn't required to understand.


	17. Two Broken Hearts

**A/N:** It's been ages since my last update, so I doubt anyone will remember this fic, or what it's about. I'm sorry if I repeat some things from previous chapters, but my brain has lost track of what I've already included so far. Thanks for all the reviews, everyone!!

**Two Broken Hearts**

Carrion had needed something to approach his grandmother with. Pretending that she had detained his servant was a legitimate reason to enter her quarters. He couldn't let anyone know that he was only there for the girl.

Candy. What had happened to her since he had seen her last? Was she hurt, had she been crying all this time? He did not dare to hope that she might have cried for him, to save her. Maybe she didn't care who came for her. Would she thank him if he freed her from his crazed grandmother? How grateful would she be? Grateful enough to stay?

He didn't believe that his grandmother knew anymore of the girl than what he himself had known upon their first meeting. He was sure that he would know already if she had found Princess Boa. But when faced with pain and danger, would Candy give up her second soul? It took a while before Carrion acted, if he intervened on the girl's behalf, he'd be openly defying his grandmother. But she had taken Candy from him, and wasn't he within his rights to take her back? And if Motley could be fooled into thinking Candy was just a simple girl, he might be able to save her with little quarrel.

Candy screamed as she was dragged along the corridor, by the horrific creatures created from dead parts of others. Motley's face was contorted in anger; she was fighting to find the answer to the riddle of this girl. She knew Carrion had discovered the truth, and to think that she was without this information was infuriating. There was never an instance when she did not know all of his concerns. It was only when this girl, Candy, had appeared in her world that her grandson had begun to act independently and secretively to capture her. Why had he acted so?

"Where are you taking me?" Candy yelled. "I don't know anything else."

"Now, we know that isn't true," Motley said leaning over Candy, her skin smelling of dust and rot. Candy's nose wrinkled as the smell overpowered her.

Had Carrion abandoned her here, to this woman who cared nothing for her life, other than to cause her pain? She had never felt so neglected, not even by her father, when he had turned his back on caring for his family many years ago. She had tried to find another father throughout the years, but to no avail. Was it so wrong that she had looked into Carrion for one? He had paid her attention, and taught her about herself.

Of all the people, Carrion was the only one that wanted her. How cruel could the world be, that she should be useless to anyone but this broken man? And why was it him that her thoughts drifted to at this moment? When she was in fear of her life. Was it because she thought he was the only one who could save her, and the only person capable of taking care of her? Oh, how much did she want someone to save her!

Candy recognised the room that she was being taken to. It was the room of souls. She didn't want to go back there, as it held something sinister within it's bright light. She felt something inside of her telling her to fight, to stall for time and not let Motley trap her into that room. Her time would begin to slip away as soon as she step foot over that threshold, her value and significance was only worth saving when she kept her mystery.

Kicking against her restrainers, she managed to free herself from their grasp, and took two steps before she was apprehended again. She tried the same trick once more, but they were stronger this time. If she shouted something of importance, they might hesitate, but no words came.

The door with the light behind it loomed as she was dragged up the stairs, still fighting for freedom. She gasped as it was opened and a rush of air hit her face. Her heartbeat too fast to distinguish where one beat ended and another began, and her skin became clammy fast.

The souls were disturbed, sensing something of importance happening. They crowed around Candy, touching her skin and whistling past her face. Motley was standing in the centre of the room, while Candy huddled by the far wall. The souls didn't touch Motley, they circled her as if fearing to get too close. Candy closed her eyes, and prayed for a miracle.

"Finally, you found the courage?" Motley asked with a mocking voice.

Candy opened her eyes, and saw that Motley wasn't talking to her, but to the figure in the doorway. Carrion had never looked so tall and imposing. Framed in the doorway, with the souls swarming around him, and he had never looked so much like his name, the prince of Nightmares. This figure straight from the depths of hell was her saviour.

"You stole something of mine," he said taking a step forward.

Motley grinned.

"My servant, the boy, I cannot allow my servants to be detained when I have need of them," he continued.

Candy's heart sank, he wasn't here for her? Why? Had he exhausted his interest? She struggled to her feet so that he might notice her there. But it was Motley that looked at her, her face frustrated. She had expected Carrion to coming begging for the girl. Maybe she had overestimated this girl's worth, and was wasting her time.

"What about _her_?" Motley asked in spite of herself, showing her own hand against her own better judgement. She wanted a reaction from Carrion, and was willing to weaken her own bargaining power in order to get it.

Carrion looked at Candy, and her tear stained, fear stricken face. He had never wanted this for the girl, but terrible things had a way of happening without warning in Midnight, and he was used to unexpected suffering. This girl was not. She looked at him as if he might be the one to save her, and he couldn't deny that it was a nice feeling; to be needed.

"I see, this is where she has gone," he said leaning against the wall. "Please continue, I shall wait until you have finished with her, then I will have her back."

Motley stared at him infuriated. She had half a mind to walk from the room and give the girl up. She must have made a mistake, Candy was probably all she claimed to be, a girl from the hereafter. Carrion wanted her for simple reasons. But it was something about the way the souls circled around her, that made her think twice. No, there was something that wasn't right.

"If you don't want her back now, why after? She might not be as pretty when I've finished with her," Motley said watching Candy's reaction, she was scared, but she thought Carrion would intervene.

"Alright, I'll have her back now then," Carrion said stepping towards Candy, and she in turn moving towards him. Her eyes, pleading for him to take her away.

A moment of fear drove Candy into Carrion's arms, where she felt him hold onto her tightly, as if he had been waiting forever to do so. His hand in her hair, holding her still against his chest. She closed her eyes and realised how long she had been searching, for someone all her life to hold her this way. But her moment of revelation was cut short.

"I don't think so Christopher," Motley said as the door slammed, trapping them inside. "You see, I don't believe you, and if you wont tell me, then I shall have to result to other means…"

Carrion was startled by the change in the souls at Motley's command. At her instruction they changed from circling, to closing in upon them. Candy opened her eyes to the bright light invading her, trying to find her own soul. Her heart beat faster, as something in her told her that these souls meant her harm. She stepped back from Carrion, but remained holding tightly to his hand.

"What do you want?" Candy screamed as the souls pressed upon her, choking her and making her dizzy.

Dropping to the floor, she felt Carrion take her face into his hands and call her name, but she could see nothing. Everything was covered in a haze, and the only experience she could liken it to, was the feeling of being put under anaesthetic. She could control anything anymore, and slipping into the hazy world she felt as if she was leaving her body and floating above it.

"What are you doing?" Carrion demanded, the girl lying limp in his arms, her image blurred. But he knew the answer; Motley was taking her soul. When it was bright and glowing and away from her body, all her secrets would be revealed, there would be nothing for Candy to hide.

Motley could read Candy's soul like a book, as it drifted away from her body. For most, this killed the host, but the girl still breathed, something was wrong. She could see the struggle of Candy's feelings for her grandson, the fear of him, the empathy, and the more resent, a need.

The souls tugged at Candy, and her eyes opened to stare up at Carrion.

"You hurt me so," the words came from Candy, but it was not the girl's voice, but someone else. "But you have me now, like you always wanted. She doesn't know that she has separated us, but we cannot both be."

Carrion stared; it was his princess talking to him from the mouth of this young girl. But before he could make a decision, Boa had made it for him. She took Candy's place, drifting from her body and keeping the greedy souls from having her, as Candy's own soul drifted slowly back to where it belonged.

Candy awoke to a scene she would not even have imaged in a dream. She stood with Carrion's assistance and stepped back with him to the door. Motley was frozen, her mind working fast, unable to understand what had happened. Before them all stood Princess Boa, an image made up of shadows and light, and a haze of drifting souls. Candy felt the empty space in her heart, and realised that the princess had left her.

"You have been looking for me," Boa said staring directly at Motley. "All this time, ever since you killed me. You have been searching for my soul, but you were outsmarted, I have been hidden from you."

"I have you now," Motley said undaunted.

Yes, she had been searching. Knowing that the princess had never passed into the realm of spirits, she had her spies in other-worlds too, linked through her room of souls. Carrion's eyes studied the room, now that the attention had shifted from him and his hereafter girl. It was room of smoke and mirrors, with little mystery when the fear was overcome. Just souls, taken from their journey to the spirit world, and tangled up together.

He sensed no more fear in the room; even the girl by his side was quiet. The only heart that hammered was his grandmother's, sensing danger.

"You cannot hold me here," Boa said. "It is my time to rest, I will not stay to be an object for you to stare at and torment."

"If you leave here, you will not exist," Motley warned.

Boa smiled, an inner strength and belief that could never be shaken. This woman could not frighten her, and her knowledge that she was beyond harm spread fast throughout the other souls. Suddenly all was calm and realisation dawned on Motley that she was about to lose something valuable to her, all for the sake of this girl. Her eyes glazed over with anger, and she rushed at Candy.

Candy's scream stuck in her throat, as she stared in horror. The souls pulled the old woman backwards, dragging her down to the ground and causing her the same pain that they had caused Candy. Motley fought harder than any of her many victims of the room, but it was clear that she was loosing. Candy stared as the old woman stopped moving.

"Is she dead?" Candy whispered.

"Not yet," Carrion answered her, in a way that suggested that she would be soon. Candy looked away. "Stand outside."

Candy didn't protest, she opened the heavy door and escaped onto the stairway, and hurried down a few steps before stopping. Where would she go if she ran? No, she would wait, she owed him that much at least.

Carrion stepped toward his grandmother's motionless body. He knew what he was about to do; he should have done it years ago. Taking a knife from his belt, he looked at Boa, still suspended nearby.

"Tell me to stop," he said kneeling over his grandmother's body.

"I cannot. My heart is too broken to forgive… yours too…" Boa replied. It was wrong, but her heart had no compassion to forgive Motley for how she had destroyed her happiness. Carrion had failed her by not protecting her from this woman, but she saw now, how defeated he had been all this time. His salvation would only come with this woman's death.

"Christopher, you will be understanding of her… she is young, and has not seen the world as we have."

Carrion looked up at Boa, who he had loved from the day she was born. She had never looked more like a memory, blurred before him. He nodded then turned from her, unable to look at her brightness any longer. Raising the knife, he brought it down hard over the old woman's heart.

He stepped back as the blood poured from her, and pooled across the floor. He felt nothing for his grandmother, bleeding out on the cold ground. The atmosphere in the room was expectant; the souls knew they were moments away from freedom. They clamoured around the window shutters, which had been bolted shut.

"Will you stay?" Carrion asked.

Boa shook her head.

"There is someone I must find," she said moving with the other souls and loosing her shape amongst them.

Carrion opened the window and felt the souls rush by him, as they hurried out into the freedom of the dark sky. He felt someone kiss his cheek before he was left in the room, alone.


	18. A Battle Begins

**A/N**: This chapter has been lurking on my pc for sometime now, it's not fished as I'd like... but a small update is better than nothing. I think the abarat community has pretty much died as of late, sob sob. Oh well, if anyone is still following this, hope you enjoy! Apologies for the long delay … again.

**A Battle Begins**

Candy didn't remember how she got to this long and dark corridor, it was if she was walking through a fog, with nothing clear to her. Her legs felt as if they no longer were a part of her, aimlessly moving, some primeval part of her brain still working, still ordering her muscles keep going. She stumbled into the wall and flattened herself against its cold plastered surface. For the first time in her life, she felt truly alone.

The shock of learning that she had not just been carrying her own soul all these years, but had been the protector of another, made her wonder how she could have lived for so long not realising. Whoever had granted her the honour of guarding a Princess had gravely misjudged her. She had failed to keep the murdered girl safe. She had brought her here to Carrion, and to Motley, and now she was gone.

Candy felt her loss like a forgotten memory, she tried desperately to remember how she had viewed the world before, when there had been another's thoughts in her head, but she could not. She felt very quiet, and oddly calm. She no longer wanted to run away from Midnight, and she realised that her irrational fear of the place had never been hers after all.

Leaning against the wall she heard footsteps becoming louder, and closer. Whoever it was running. The steps were joined by another pair, and then another, until a group of people rushed by her in a panic. Her heart beat faster as she pushed herself away from the wall and wandered out into the middle of the corridor.

She felt as if the haze of the past events was beginning to lift, and a deep fear was starting to surface. Those people who had run by her had looked terrified, and she was beginning to wonder why. She turned back the way she had come and hurried back.

Hysteria was in the air as Candy wandered the halls, loosing track of where she was, and what halls she had already been down. Unable to find the room of souls, she stopped again as another group of people hurried by her, all with the same petrified look on their faces. Ignoring the direction they chose, Candy headed the opposite way and rounded a corner.

She stopped abruptly as she met someone she hadn't expected.

"I've been looking for you," he said, almost chiding her having lost herself in the maze of corridors.

Candy looked up at his face, it was still as unreadable as ever, but he no longer frightened her. It wasn't him that worried her. It was herself. How would she fare in this world without Princess Boa's help? When she looked at a dangerous man and she no longer ran? How long was she likely to last?

Suddenly she felt her eyes fill with tears, with the childish fear that she had been lost and wandering, and now she had been found. Without Boa's guidance, her own feelings were muddled. Instead of running, like anyone of sense might have done, Candy allowed herself to sob and unthinkingly wrapped her arms around Carrion.

His heart began to scream danger as it beat faster, and for the first time in many years, he was afraid.

"There will be repercussions of today," Carrion said, his hand absentmindedly stroking Candy's hair.

She looked up from where she was pressed against him, it was struggle to raise her head as it felt as if he never wanted to let her go.

"What kind of repercussions?" she asked hearing a tone of fear in her voice.

Rapid steps sounded along the corridor behind them, but unable to see Candy could only imagine what horror headed their way.

"Sir!" someone yelled, a voice that Candy recognised. "A crowd is beneath the tower," Letheo informed them with a touch of hysteria.

Carrion let Candy go in order to address his servant. Suddenly free, Candy stepped back and felt the loss of contact like being lost once more. She didn't dare reach toward him, instead stood shivering, feeling as if all the world's eyes were upon her, judging.

"Calm boy," Carrion said, a touch of amusement to his words. "Order the guards to round up the stitchlings. They will all swear allegiance to me, or accept the consequences."

The odd green tinge to Letheo's skin seemed to disappear as he turned a sickening white tinge.

"W…why?" he asked, knowing that it was against the rules to question orders. At least, not if you wished to leave in one piece. However, today something was different.

"Because my grandmother is dead," Carrion replied without any emotion. It was a fact, and other than causing problems it did not affect him.


	19. Candy Escapes

**A/N:** Well, you probably never thought it would happen, but at last there is an update! Thank you everyone for the reviews for the last chapter, there never would have been an update without you!

**Candy Escapes**

The citizens of Midnight knew that something was wrong when the light that always burned in the top of the tower had faltered and flickered out. Over their heads they had witnessed ghostly spectres streaming through the dark sky, all escaping from the tower. A change had happened, and they had gathered in the town squares, to share theories and ideas about what was happening. But when all ideas were spent, and no one was any the wiser, they marched on mass to the towers, looking for answers.

Carrion brought Candy to a window, and allowed her to look down the great height to see the crowds gathering. He could see that she was shivering, and her eyes were still wide in the startled look of shock. Her hair was stuck to her neck with cold sweat, and all the blood had drained from her face. She looked close to collapse, and was barely hearing him when he spoke to her.

"Candy it isn't safe for you here," he said, touching the cold skin of her shoulder.

"Why?" she whispered still looking down upon the crowd.

"Come with me," Carrion said holding out his hand for her. Slowly she looked round and held onto him, her small hand disappearing into his grasp. She looked up with her fearful eyes and knew she could no longer think for herself. She had no idea how to get out of the tower and out of Midnight, and the only man she could trust was the one everyone else feared.

Carrion led Candy down a flight of steps, walking too fast for her to keep up with, and when he paused for a moment he realised she had been jogging to keep up with him. Leaning against the wall for a moment, Candy tried to catch her breath.

Unable to wait for her to recover, since it was necessary to get Candy out of the tower, Carrion pulled her into his arms, and carried her the rest of the way.

"Where are you taking me?" Candy asked, suddenly realising that she was being taken out of the tower. That meant she would be leaving Lord Carrion behind.

"You need to be safe," he replied distractedly.

"Yes, but…." Candy said, but stopped when she didn't know what she wanted to say. "I don't want to go without you."

Carrion stared at her as he put her back down, she was looking at him with a pleading look. Ignoring her, since there was no way he was going to change him mind. Looking around he found the man he was looking for, a tall guard who was barking orders to others, and handing out an assortment of weapons.

"Sir!" the guard said in greeting once he spotted Lord Carrion.

"Take Miss Quackenbush to the edge of the city," Carrion ordered.

"Were we took the other one?" the guard asked.

"No, I don't want to go," Candy exclaimed.

"Take her, now," Carrion ordered before leaving Candy in the midst of the chaos.

Candy fell against the guard as a horde of people rushed by them, all shouting to one another. They separated her from Lord Carrion, and when they had gone, so had he. Craning her neck to look around the busy room, Candy felt a sense of loss that she had been left alone.

She had a new fear now, being alone on an hour she didn't know. She'd lost Malingo, she didn't know what had happened to him. All she could hope was that somehow he had managed to escape the place. But before she could wonder anymore, the guard she was standing with pushed a dagger into her hand.

Staring up at him with a surprised expression, Candy felt the handle of the dagger sit awkwardly in her hand.

"I don't want this," Candy said trying to give it back.

"You heard my order's miss, I have to get you out of here. And although I intend to defend you, you may need to do some of the defending personally. Understand?"

Candy stared at him blankly. Defend her from what and from whom? What the hell was going on? Why was everyone rushing around looking so panicked?

"Where has Lord Carrion gone?" Candy asked.

"Hopefully to put some armour on," the guard said absentmindedly. He was now busy counting heads in the small group of people that Candy hadn't noticed behind them. They looked like a collection of servants, but all extremely young.

"Why are you sending me away?" a boy asked. "My brother was allowed to stay!"

Candy realised that they were being evacuated, and the lucky few that were allowed to escape were all the children. Feeling annoyed that she was being classed as helpless and in need of protecting, Candy held her dagger a little tighter. She caught the eye of a girl in the back of the group, and saw how frightened she was. Suddenly Candy felt guilty at being annoyed for being abandoned here. Lord Carrion was clearly trying to give her the chance to escape, and the seriousness of the situation started to dawn upon her.

And with that revelation, she realised that she had caused this chaos in Midnight, as it was her fault Mater Motley was dead. But more importantly, she understood that Christopher Carrion was letting her go.

Whatever was happening above ground happened with or without Candy there to witness it. Shuffling through underground corridors, heading for the sea, the company was quiet. The guard led them in silence, moving steadily through the dark and dank tunnel. Candy wondered what it had been built for. Perhaps smuggling? But more likely just a quick way of getting materials from the ships in the dock to the towers.

Someone was crying, sniffling as they walked. Candy wondered what they were worried for. Maybe they were just scared? The darkness was deep down here, and all they could see was a metre ahead of them, the guard's lamp reaching no further.

It took Candy a while to realised that the darkness before them was different to the darkness left behind. And as a breeze brushed over them, she began to see specks bright light in the black.

"Stars," she murmured. "Stars," she repeated to those around her.

The promise of fresh air lifted her spirits, and as they emerged back out into the night, Candy looked back along the horizon to see the city lit up against the sky. A small town surrounded them, a couple of houses here and there, and a harbour. The boats were already full with people's belongings, and along the jetty was a queue of people waiting to board.

"Miss, you should leave now," the guard said.

"What about the children?" Candy asked. "What happens to them?"

The guard considered her question for a moment.

"I will take them to Pyon," he said looking out over the sea. "When it's safe they can come back."

Candy didn't want to ask any more questions. She didn't know where she wanted to go, and there was more and more people arriving every minute. As she looked at the water, she thought she saw a SeaSkipper, and then it jumped up out of the water and began ushering people toward the correct boats.

"Pyon boat this way," it shouted. "Yebba Dim Day over here!"

Candy watched it busily organising people, before she realised it was looking her way.

"Deaux-Deaux?" she asked surprised.

The Sea-Skipper blinked at her for a moment, before he recognised her.

"Candy!" he shouted merrily.

The sea-skipper's voice alerted someone in the crowd, and he turned. Malingo had been furiously looking through the crowds in the vain hope that Candy might have escaped. All the refuges where heading in this direction, all those that weren't strong enough for a fight, or didn't have the appetite. With his heart skipping a beat, Malingo looked in the direction of the voice.

Candy was standing on the waters edge, inching away from the Sea-Skipper, who was looking at her with curiosity.

"You look different on land," Deaux-Deaux said at last.

"Candy!" Malingo shouted hurrying forward. He saw her confused expression change into relief as she spotted him, and whatever she had in her hand she dropped. With her arms around his neck, Malingo lifted Candy up and held her tightly. He'd feared he might have leave Midnight without her.

"Malingo, you're OK!" Candy said as he let her down.

"Never mind me. How did you get away? I've heard Motley is dead, and the stitchlings are revolting!"

Candy smiled.

"The stitchlings were always revolting Malingo," she quipped. It took a while for Malingo to understand her joke, but it was enough to make him laugh. "I guess we should get on a boat?" Candy asked.


	20. Destruction and New Beginnings

**Destruction and New Beginnings**

The boat bobbed and dipped in the water, waiting for more passengers. Some had already drifted out into the Izabella, and were making their way to what they hoped was a safer hour. Candy's boat was bound to Qualm Hah 9:00 a.m, yet no one seemed to know why, nor as Candy had quickly realised, cared. Candy supposed those who had a destination in mind, and someone to welcome on the other side of the water would choose their boat more carefully. But for now she and Malingo had allowed their destination to be chosen for them by the seaskipper.

"I do not think there will be many more," Deaux Deaux said to another fellow creature hidden in the waves. He was keeping close to Candy as if he had a special interest in her well being. "We should set the boats free."

The other water creature nodded its agreement and dove down into the dark and disappeared. As she stared at the ripples on the waters surface, Candy felt a chill run down her back. There was something in the night air that made her look back at Midnight and at the outline of the towers against the red smoke filled sky. The air seemed to be buzzing with something, and Candy found herself becoming restless.

"Malingo something bad is going to happen here," she said rubbing at her cold arms. "I can feel it."

Malingo put his arm around her, trying to keep her warm, and also because her words made him worry. Candy was right, there was a sinister atmosphere that hung around them, and the air was beginning to smell of smoke. Something was on fire in the city and it was drifting their way on the wind.

"We're moving," Candy observed, and the boat bobbed again the water, now moving slowly away from the shore.

She spotted Deaux Deaux swimming underneath the boat, and saw that the rope that had anchored them was now cut and dangling behind them in their wake. They were going to float away from Midnight and there was nothing Candy could do about it. If she jumped out of the boat and swam back, she knew that Malingo would follow her. She couldn't put him in danger; she owed him too much to make him risk his life over her stupidity. Besides, Carrion had wasted his precious time in the tower making sure that she escaped safely and it would be poor repayment if she ended up dead on the shores of Midnight.

Candy couldn't bare the thought that he might think she'd turned her back on him. She would do as he had instructed, get far way from the troubles and the fight and return once it was safe. She would do no one any good lying dead on the soil of Midnight, with Carrion left waiting for her, not knowing what had happened.

As they bobbed out into the water and the land began to slip away, Candy had the same frightened feeling come over her again, which she couldn't explain. She was about to speak to Malingo again when something bright white flashed on the horizon over the towers. A second later a loud booming sound followed it and a shock wave threatened to topple the tiny boats over into the depths. Candy and the other occupants of the small vessel flattened themselves down low and braced themselves against the rocking. The towers of Midnight began to fall, crumpling under their own weight, disappearing into dust.

Candy felt her head spin, and she leant over the side of the boat to be sick. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. There were people in that building, they would not have all managed to get out before the collapse. Children around her were crying again, everyone panicking for their loved one's and world that would never be the same again.

"Candy," Malingo said pulling her back into the boat.

He tucked her under his arm and held her close. He could feel her crying and shaking against him, and although he did not understand her tears, he said nothing to stop them. Candy had been on an adventure without him on Midnight, and he would never know what had happened to her in that tower. The one that now lay as rubble. Overheard creatures flew away from the noise and the smoke, streaking towards the clear skies ahead.

**A Year Later**

Candy stared up at the impressive house that stood before her. Se had not been to midnight since she had sailed away from the island with Malingo one year ago. At first she had been frightened, but as the news of the now famous Midnight battle reached the rest of the Abarat, Candy had stopped her tears and her worry and had followed the story like every other outsider. She and Malingo had built a small house of their own on Qualm Hah, known at first as the refugee camp, and then slowly becoming a town in it's own right. She had left that behind her, letting Malingo keep the house to do with as he willed. She knew the time was right now.

After the towers had fallen, Carrion had squashed the rebelling Stitchling army. Candy did no know why the towers had fallen, but like a few conspirators she thought that Carrion might have destroyed them himself. Pulling down everything that reminded him of his grandmother, and frightening his subjects into action. He had shown them that if the tower of Midnight could fall, then no one on the island was safe, and all must fight to save the hour. There were other theories too, but nothing that Candy believed.

The house before her was made of dark wood, five storeys high and with a melancholy feel to its appearance. It had been built on the edge of the city of Gorgossium, facing towards the site where a new tower was being built. Candy listened to the sound of people working, moving stones and shouting orders to one another on the wind. Stone by stone the tower was stretching into the sky, a monster of a thing, more impressive than anything that had gone before.

Walking up the path to the house, Candy knocked on the large door. She had no idea if anything would hear her tiny tap on the massive wooden door, but she waited patiently. She had worn her nicest dress today, she would not be mistaken for a servant should someone find her waiting here. She had come to visit Lord Carrion, after so many days of listening to news about his whereabouts, his actions, his kingdom. The time had felt right now, to return, to keep the promise she had made in the tiny boat one year ago.

Slowly the door creaked open, and a pale face looked out at her from the brightly lit interior.

"Yes?" they asked, peering at her in confusion.

"I have come to visit Lord Carrion. He is not expecting me, but he will know who I am."

"Name?"

"Candy Quackenbush," Candy replied feeling nervous. She wouldn't be able to turn back now.

"Wait here."

The door closed again, and Candy found herself shut out in the darkness once more. It seemed an age before she allowed inside of the house, and she followed her guide with apprehension. She wondered whether Lord Carrion would even remember her? Maybe he had never been serious about how much she had meant to her. Maybe she had just been a passing fascination, which in the uproar of the past year, he had forgotten all about? He had never come looking for her after all, although she had made herself easy to find if he had wanted to.

Her own interest in him had only grown. She had made it a mission to learn as much about him as possible in the time apart, so that she might better understand what had passed between them.

Now she stood shaking in a room all alone, and as the door opened once more to allow Carrion in, Candy found herself unable to keep herself steady.

"Candy," he greeted, his eyes just as piercing and intense as she remembered.

Candy trembled as he walked towards her. She smiled nervously as he stood before her.

"I have waited a long time for you to return."

"I thought you had forgotten me," Candy confessed.

"And that would have upset you?" he asked.

Candy felt a tear coming to her eye. She didn't know what she had been expecting, but she felt hurt. Although he remembered her, he did not seem pleased to see her. Maybe she had left it too long after all. He didn't need her anymore. He had escaped the darkness of Midnight on his own.

Candy let out a sob, covering her hands with her face.

"I will go if you want me to," Candy said between her jagged breaths. "I just wanted you to know that I haven't forgotten you, and to thank you for saving my life."

Carrion stared at her for a moment.

"You will stay," he said after a time.

Candy brushed away a tear.

_Forever_, she thought.

**End**

**A/N: **Thank you to everyone that followed this story, from those that read chapter one back in _08-29-05_ to everyone in between. I promised you that this would one day have an ending, and so it has. Hope you have enjoyed. Stay tuned for the future, since I can't seem to escape the Candy/Carrion fanfiction :)


End file.
